Man arrested in cold case murder of Reno preschool teacher

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RENO, Nev. (AP) — A 32-year-old Southern California man has been arrested in the 2004 strangulation and sexual assault of a Reno preschool teacher in her home.

Francisco Merino-Ojeda of Santa Ana was booked in the death of Kyla Annan, 28, after being extradited to Nevada on Wednesday, Reno police announced at a news conference Friday.

He was arrested on charges of attacking and killing Annan 10 days after breaking into her home and being chased away by her boyfriend. She was found dead on her bed on Sept. 24, 2004.

A major break in the case occurred in January when investigators received a citizen's tip about a possible suspect, Reno police Lt. William Rulla said. Subsequent DNA testing linked Merino-Ojedo to evidence at the murder scene, and he was arrested in Southern California in March with the help of the FBI and authorities there, Rulla added.

Earlier, DNA samples of 150 men taken during the investigation did not match that of the killer. Two shirts the suspect took off inside the victim's home during the initial break-in were among critical pieces of evidence gathered by police.

Annan was an assistant at Golden Goose Preschool in Reno at the time. She was a University of California, Santa Cruz graduate who majored in psychology and aspired to become a teacher.

The victim and suspect had no known relationship, investigators said. Annan lived near both a casino and an area where up to 100 transients a day tried to find work through a temporary labor company.

Merino-Ojeda worked as a landscaper in Reno and after moving to Southern California, Reno police Sgt. Ron Chalmers said.

The victim's parents, Steve and Cheryl Annan of South Lake Tahoe, California, attended the news conference and fielded questions from reporters. They praised police for the arrest and said the suspect deserves the death penalty.

"A life for a life," Cheryl Annan said.

The parents described their only child as a kind, loving person with a sense of humor and passion for gardening. They said they had "pretty much" given up hope an arrest would be made in the case.

"Ten and a half years is a long time," the mother said.

Asked whether the arrest brings them closure, Steve Annan replied, "The idea of closure is not right. It's a bogus concept. Closure is having your child come back to you."

Merino-Ojeda is being held without bail at the Washoe County jail on charges of open murder, sexual assault and burglary. He was scheduled to be arraigned either later Friday or Saturday, Rulla said.