Home invaders played Russian roulette with a 5-year-old while they held his family hostage

Mail Online ^ | Feb 17, 2012 | Meghan Keneally

[Travis McGee]

A Florida family endured three days of torture and fear as they were held hostage by a group of criminals demanding thousands of dollars in cash. Today the father testified against one of his abductors, telling how they terrorized the family and played Russian roulette with their five-year-old son. The scarring details came out as Victor Manuel Sanchez, the first of the four assailants, is on trial for numerous felony charges including attempted murder, home-invasion robbery, and kidnapping. Sanchez and his three partners were arrested after they had held the Morais family hostage in their Winter Garden, Florida home for three days in November 2009. The saga began when the group of three men and the female Bolivian ringleader- who remains at large and is thought to have fled the country- knocked on the Morais' home demanding that Rubens Morais, 48, give them money in order to 'save his family'. He complied and gave them $30,000 from the family safe. That did not satisfy them, and they forced Mr Morais' wife Marcela Borges, 27, to withdraw $23,600 from an ATM. Even after they had the money that they wanted, the captors were not finished with their mental torture. The captors played Russian roulette with the couple's 5-year-old son Ryan, repeatedly pulling the trigger while pressing the gun up against the young boys head. 'I was absolutely sure that after I paid them, they would kill me,' Mr Morais said

[sphinx]

There’s still something to be said for not putting a bullseye on your back. Banks were invented for a reason.

[Georgia Girl 2]

We are living in strange times. Its not really safe anywhere. We cc everywhere we go and around the house. We also have multiple weapons in different rooms.

The cop that investigated my Mom’s break in a few months ago got into a lengthy discussion with us about whats going on and he said he and his girlfriend have moved farther out because of the crime and he carries inside the house and answers the door with his hand on his gun.

My fiancee’ was walking the dog after dark a couple of weeks ago and spotted a guy standing by a pickup truck next to the lake that backs up to our house and several others. He suddenly saw a red IR glow and realized the guy had night vision binoculars and was looking at him. So he eased up next to a tree and reached in his vest to get his weapon and the guy jumped into the truck and took off. We are still trying to figure that one out. We think he may have been casing the neighborhood for a break in. It never ends.

[sport]

Good advice!

[2ndamendmentpa]

Same thoughts - the last names of the victims and perps seem more the same, than different...

[Travis McGee]

RE the cash: news reporters take hours and days of testimony and dumb it down to a few paragraphs. I’m sure it was better explained in court.

[Longdriver]

hurry up and finish this stupid trial and execute all the “accused”.

[heartwood]

Your state-sponsored vibrancy at work.

Gracias, Senor Presidente, y Senor Presidente. Gracias, Senora Senadora y Senor Senadora, y Senor Gobernador.

Here are some useful Spanish phrases, provided as a public service.

No me despares, por favor. Aqui es todo mi dinero.*

*In speaking with public servants, as opposed to private entrepreneurs, you may still wish to employ the English phrasing.

[2ndamendmentpa]

Off topic: But funny...

I was talking to a fellow at a local bookstore who had been living in Panama.

“Whats it like in Panama?” I asked.

His response...

“Its’s just like Miami, except everyone speaks English”

[sport]

Knowing the media, the ATM withdrawal amount could have been a typo. But the fact that they were serveiled and did not pay any attention to it should have taught them a leson.

Myself, I pat attention when strange vehicles pass by the road where I have my workshop. I take particular attention to when they pull into the driveway and turn around. When they stop on the road I walk to where I can see what they are doing. And if it is a"Repair" van with tinted windows and more antennas that a Russian trawler I get nervious.

[tioga]

How much real difference is there from this to theO and his cohorts taking our money and GIVING it away to those who don’t want to work? They just cut out the middleman. /s

[PowderMonkey]

Could be casing the area for potential targets, or could be a private detective working a nasty divorce case on a neighbor. Either way, I make a point to regularly inspect my property for signs of late night surreptitious visits by two-legged predators. Most common “trail sign” I've encountered is 2-3 cigarette butts piled in an area affording a view of the house from concealment, and indicating someone spent considerable time in hiding there during the night. I also discovered a “blind” that way on a family member's wooded property, affording a direct view of nothing but their neighbor's back yard play area, where their 4 children play.

[rfreedom4u]

A friend of mine used to live in El Paso. Her car was stolen and she didn’t understand why because she lived in a nice part of town. I told her that’s why it was stolen. People who live in the nice part of town usually have nice things that the not so nice people want.

A nice handgun near the door would have been a good option.

[Georgia Girl 2]

Yes we thought of the PI thing also. Its hard to know.

Our next door neighbor caught a guy at 1:00AM out in his yard digging around for something. Even confronted with a weapon the guy did not want to leave. He had probably stashed something out there and was trying to retrieve it. Finally our neighbor said he was going to blow the guy’s head off and he left.

This kind of stuff is only going to get worse as the economy slides.

[Cold Heart]

Trail cams. More spendy ones are live wireless.

[Gilbo_3]

Mostly the criminals around here will ring your door bell and if no one is at home they come around back and break in.

longstanding and effective tactic of typical burglars...especially those times of year when the sun has set early, and the whole street is full of *dark* houses...

fortunately, at 20% unemployment, most streets wont be dark...

home invaders, of this sort, dont seek empty houses, just undefended ones...

[Lurker]

I need to keep a pistol by the door.

By the door is good. In your hand is probably a little better.

Best to you my friend.

[Ditter]

In my very nice part of town, 20 years ago I had my Cheve Suburban stolen from in front of my house during the night. The difference NOW is the break ins that are happening with much more frequency, some days 4,5, or 6 in one day or one night.

The house across the street that has been robbed twice in a years time, lost everything furniture, rugs artwork and the guy clothes the first time. The 2nd time they triggered the alarm and they left sooner.

Just before the first break in the house next door to him had workers on the roof for days. They could easily have watched the single guys coming and going. WE are trying to make sure the burglars go somewhere else. We have an alarm that is monitored, a neighborhood patrol, lights, dogs and SECURITY DOG signs. Do not count out the power of a DOG sign.

[ErnBatavia]

About 2 months ago I stashed a loaded pistol in the garage within 3 seconds’ distance of exiting the car....follow-homes seem to be getting a little trendy.

[Ditter]

Living farther out is not always a solution. We have property about an hour south of Houston several miles from a small town. Last week we lost a 4 wheeler and a big riding mower. We have security camera but the thieves shined lights into the lens and we got nothing. All we have lost is saddles in the past.

[mojitojoe]

If they did, and I’m sure plenty probably do, if they admit it on an internet forum, they don’t have an ounce of sense.