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Man accused of 1999 stabbing death of flight attendant in suburban Chicago faces murder charges
By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Man accused of 1999 stabbing death of flight attendant in suburban Chicago faces murder charges
A man accused in the 1999 stabbing death of a flight attendant in suburban Chicago has been returned to the U.S. from Mexico to face murder charges, police said Thursday.
CHICAGO - A man accused in the 1999 stabbing death of a flight attendant in suburban Chicago has been returned to the U.S. from Mexico to face murder charges, police said Thursday.
Luis Rodriguez-Mena, 46, was arrested in Mexico during the summer and was turned over to the Des Plaines Police Department on Tuesday, according to Police Chief William Kushner. Rodriguez-Mena is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of 30-year-old Young Kavila.
Authorities said she tried to fight off her attacker, but he slashed her throat with a boot knife, sexually assaulted her and left - but not before wiping his hands on her bed covers.
A short time later, Kavila s roommate found her beaten and stabbed to death on the floor of their kitchen, prosecutors said.
On Thursday, more than 20 years later, authorities revealed they arrested Kavila s then-neighbor, Luis Rodriguez Mena, in the case. The big break was some people in his family cooperated with our investigation and gave us his whereabouts, Officer Michael Heidcamp with the Des Plaines Police Department said.