Lexis Kaye Roberts Kidnapping Homicide

FBI seek mother and boyfriend in homicide shooting death of a 12-year-old child, Lexis Kaye Roberts.

November 6, 2010

LOUISIANA FUGITIVE NEWS -- Thomas Steven Sanders is most wanted for his involvement in the shooting death of a 12-year-old child, Lexis Kaye Roberts. Sanders is currently charged with the kidnapping of Lexis Roberts by a United States Court in the Western District of Louisiana. However, the child's human skeletal remains were discovered in a wooded area north of Harrisonburg, Louisiana.

Fugitive Thomas Steven Sanders

Lexis Kaye Roberts was last seen with her mother, Suellen Roberts, and Thomas Sanders, traveling in a silver 2001 Kia Spectra sedan with Nevada license plate 153UCR. Then on October 8, 2010, the child's skeletal remains were found by hunters in a wooded area north of Harrisonburg. By October 26, 2010, the remains were positively identified primarily through dental records, as Lexis Kaye Roberts of Las Vegas, Nevada. During the autopsy, the forensic anthropologist reported that Lexis had suffered multiple gunshot wounds.

Suellen Roberts

On September 3, 2010, Thomas Steven Sanders was captured on film purchasing ammunition at a local Wal-Mart in Las Vegas, Nevada. Forensic evidence suggests the ammunition that Sanders purchased is consistent with the caliber weapon used during the homicide, therefore, making Sanders the primary suspect in the murder of Lexis Kaye Roberts.

In 1994, Thomas Steven Sanders was legally declared dead in the state of Mississippi by family members. However, the FBI now knows that Sanders is still alive and has ties to several states across the country. Known associates have provided law enforcement with information that Sanders is missing his upper teeth and has only two lower teeth. He reportedly has a tattoo on his chest of an unknown design and a scar on his abdomen. The most reliable physical description of Sanders is:

• Birth Date: July 12, 1957
• Height: 68 inches
• Weight: 200 pounds
• Eyes: Brown
• Hair: Gray
• Sex: Male
• Race: White

Additionally, Sanders is known to work in blue collar trades, and has worked as a welder, a scrap metal collector, a night watchman, a pallet fabricator and a handyman. Sanders was last seen driving the aforementioned silver 2001 Kia Spectra with notable damage on the passenger side doors. Furthermore, this fugitive has likely replaced the Nevada license plates with stolen plates to avoid detection. Sanders also has a history of exchanging vehicles through auto salvage yards, so, auto salvage employees should especially keep an eye open for Sanders.

Since the discovery of Lexis Kaye Roberts remains, numerous investigative agencies, including the Louisiana State Police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. Marshals Service, the U.S. Postal Service, the Office of Louisiana Attorney General, the LSU Forensic Anthropology and Computer Enhancement Services (FACES) and law enforcement throughout the country have been involved in the case. The men and women of these agencies have conducted exhaustive effort in solving this crime, and now are turning to the public for help in locating Suellen Roberts, and Thomas Sanders.

Anyone who has recently seen or has information of the location of either, Suellen Roberts or fugitive Thomas Sanders, should immediately call the FBI at 1-800-225-5324.