Memorial grows for Las Vegas man killed in alleged kidnapping, fatal crash

LAS VEGAS (KLAS) – The family of 37-year-old Benito Saragosa is demanding justice after they said he was killed during an alleged carjacking, which ended in a crash on April 11. Metro Police said 55-year-old Harold Allen allegedly stole a vehicle from the parking lot of a Walmart near Charleston and Decatur on Saturday morning that was left running. Saragosa’s family said he was inside the car during the incident and died after Allen allegedly drove off and crashed the car into a pole at the intersection of West Charleston Boulevard and South Essex Drive. Allen is facing several charges, including kidnapping, robbery, and murder. Saragosa’s family said there are reasons why the 37-year-old was still in the car. His sister, Shelley Saragosa, told 8 News Now he was a recovering alcoholic with heart problems that often left him immobile. She said their mother, Deborah Requena, often drove him around and brought him along to run errands on the morning of the incident. “My mom would still try to keep him active and moving around. But his heart rate was actually already at 20%. He was supposed to bearing a vest to jumpstart his heart and stuff like that,” Shelley Saragosa said. She theorizes his condition made it hard for him to fight back or escape the car after it was stolen. “My mom could have got those power chairs that you shop with, the shopping carts,” she said. “But he was not interested in going inside with a lot of people. Anywhere my mom would go, he’s always waiting in the car.” Saragosa’s family said he was always laughing, joking around, and pulling pranks on family members. Despite a childhood marred by juvenile detention and prison time during adulthood, his family never gave up on him, Requena said. “He did struggle a lot with mental issues. But I made sure I’m there for him,” Requena said. “But as I say, what can we do? When people are addicted to alcohol, it’s terrible.” Requena and Saragosa said Benito surprised all of them when he told them nearly a week before his death that he wanted to go back to rehab. “He was still battling certain stuff that was still traumatizing him and he had a little addiction. But he was getting over it. And he was supposed to go to rehab before this incident happened with him,” Saragosa’s sister said. Saragosa’s family said that due to his addiction, they prepared for his death in many ways. But they are shocked his life ended in a violent manner and at the hands of someone else. “We were preparing ourselves for my brother, but it wasn’t something like this, something tragic like this. We were preparing for him to pass away in a house or the hospital, on his time,” Saragosa’s sister said. “So everybody is in shock. And I keep telling my sister, I’m crying every day because my brother plainly said it. He doesn’t like cars going fast…he didn’t want to die like that because he knew it was probably going to feel a lot of pain. And that’s probably what happened.” Allen’s next court appearance is set for Tuesday, April 14th at 7:30 am. Saragosa’s family said they want to understand why this happened. “I don’t understand why this person just jumped in a car. That didn’t make any sense. What were you looking for? Just to crash a car? And then you take the life of my brother?” Saragosa’s sister said. “I want to ask him, what was the purpose of it? It didn't get you nowhere. So why do you have to take my child? He don't do nobody anything,” Requena said about Allen.