Napoleon and Rasputen Revisited

Today's Star Article Hits a Nerve.

Man nabbed after 7 years as a fugitive
Torres fled to Guatemala in wake of '98 double stabbing, cops say
Doug Schmidt, Windsor Star
Published: Saturday, December 17, 2005

A former Windsor man wanted for attempted murder in the stabbing of two neighbours has been arrested after seven years in hiding.
Sergio Alejandro Torres, 43, was arrested in Ottawa Thursday, two weeks after he returned to Canada from Guatemala, police said Friday.
Torres was arrested outside his home by members of the province's ROPE (Repeat Offender Parole Enforcement) squad, who were acting on a tip from Windsor police. Two Windsor detectives flew to Ottawa Friday to pick up Torres.
Informed of the arrest, the victims "were absolutely delighted," said Windsor police Staff Sgt. Ed McNorton.
In what police describe as a neighbour dispute, possibly over noise, Torres is alleged to have stabbed and seriously injured a 33-year-old man and a 22-year-old woman at a duplex apartment at 1212 Monmouth Rd. the night of Nov. 18, 1998.
Torres, whose birthday was the following day, was seen speeding away from the scene in a white Pontiac Sunbird.
McNorton said investigators learned he fled to Guatemala where he'd been hiding ever since.
WINDSOR CONSTABLE
The fugitive's presence in Ottawa was uncovered by a Windsor patrol constable who has been seconded since August to work on the department's cold-case files.
A check of police and government databanks revealed that Torres returned to Canada two weeks ago and that he had applied in Ottawa for a driver's licence renewal, McNorton said. He said the licence application gave police Torres's current address.
McNorton said the detectives were expected to accompany Torres on a flight to Windsor late Friday or this morning and brought before a judge for arraignment.
Both victims still live in the area, but not together, McNorton said.
The male told police he still suffers physically from the attack seven years ago.
The female victim was stabbed in the chest and arm, while the male victim was stabbed in the lower back, with the knife nicking his spinal cord and resulting in damage to his leg nerves.
While the police keep a regular eye on serious cold-case files, such as unsolved homicides going back decades, McNorton said the department also periodically goes through its files of outstanding arrest warrants, which is how Torres's case resurfaced.
The timing was bad luck for Torres and good luck for the police, said McNorton. He wouldn't give the name of the officer who cracked the case, but said "he's doing a real good job of it."
Since dusting off the old files in August, the officer has reviewed about half of the approximately 1,000 arrest warrants that remain open, McNorton said. About 10 arrests have resulted.
The "typical guy" being sought is wanted for crimes such as break and enter, fraud and theft and is usually someone who moves frequently, making it difficult for the authorities to track, McNorton said.
dschmidt@thestar.canwest.com or 255-5586
© The Windsor Star 2005

There ya have it folks. Noise and thin walls can be dangerous to your health. Something to think about. P.S...You may want to save this article for your property tax appeal.