Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2003 | 10:56 a.m.
An employee of a struggling downtown jewelry business allegedly bludgeoned the store owner's mother to death and critically injured the owner when they tried to stop him from robbing the store early Tuesday, police said.
Avetis Archanian, 46, told police that when he reported for work at World Merchants-Importers, 310 Carson Ave., he discovered the store locked, then looked in a window and saw two bodies on the floor.
But police said they determined later that Archanian had beaten the store's 65-year-old owner, Elisa Del Prado, and had killed her elderly mother during a robbery before the store opened.
Archanian was arrested about 7 p.m. and is charged with murder, attempted murder and robbery, Lt. Tom Monahan said. Archanian remained jailed at the Clark County Detention Center this morning.
Del Prado, who opened her jewelry store in 1975, is a well-known member of the Hispanic business community. She remained in critical condition at University Medical Center this morning, authorities said.
The Clark County coroner's office had not yet released the name of Del Prado's mother this morning.
After Archanian called police about 10 a.m. and reported spotting bodies on the floor of the locked store, police and city firefighters forced their way into the store. Del Prado and her mother were in the jewelry repair area.
The Del Prados were concerned about being safe, according to regular customer Barbara Milford, who works in the office building next door to the store.
"They were very cautious, and it was something I appreciated," she said. "I can't even comprehend this."
Tony Sanchez, president of the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce, said Del Prado was one of the first members to join when the chamber was established in the mid-1970s. She served on the board of directors at one point, he said.
"She epitomizes what the Latin chamber is all about. She's a self-starter, an entrepreneur," he said. "Our hearts and our deepest sympathy goes out to her family, and we're keeping our fingers crossed that she has a speedy recovery."
Del Prado was born in Havana, Cuba, where she earned a business degree. She and her husband, who died eight years ago, emigrated to Miami when Fidel Castro came into power. The family moved to Las Vegas in the early 1960s.
She opened World Merchants-Importers in 1975 at Fourth and Fremont streets, selling diamonds, gold and furs.
In an interview with the Sun in March, Del Prado said business was profitable until 1994, when the city forced her to relocate to make room for the Fremont Street Experience.
Soon after the move, construction began on the Fremont Street parking garage, across the street from her store. For two years, the Del Prados suffered periodic street closures, lack of parking and little walk-in traffic.
Del Prado told the Sun she sold her house to keep the business afloat and was on the verge of bankruptcy.
She wanted the city to move them back to Fremont Street or maybe even Neonopolis, where they thought they had a better chance at turning a profit. However, city officials never responded to her letters, she said.
On Tuesday, several blocks around the store were cordoned off by police tape and by lunchtime, groups of people had gathered to see what was happening.
Jolyn Leegaard, who works in the area, said she walks past the jewelry store regularly.
"This is really scary," she said.
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