LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — According to Nevada Crime Statistics, crimes against elderly people in Las Vegas are up more than 52% so far this year compared to 2023.
One recent case that you may remember is the recent headline of 68-year-old Monique Gilbertson, whose body was found in a freezer in the East Valley earlier this month.
The case is just one of more than 4,000 so far this year. As of September 2024, there were 4,336 cases of elderly crimes in Las Vegas, according to Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department.
Neighbor Rose C. did not want her face on camera but spoke to Channel 13 about her concern our valley's elders are vulnerable to crime.
"Nobody deserves what happened," she said. "I think because a lot of elderly people, such as me, the neighbor next door and Monique, we don't have a strong support system."
Crimes against elders have been a topic of conversation in Nevada's recent legislative session.
State lawmakers passed Assembly Bill 119 in 2023, which established a confidential review team dedicated to the investigation and prevention of elder abuse and fatalities.
Assemblyman David Orentlicher and Attorney Jennifer Richards presented the now-passed law during a legislative hearing last year.
"When we have vulnerable adults who die, and there are suspicions there may have been mistreatment, this committee would study those fatalities, so we better understand the causes of these deaths and how to reduce them," said Orentlicher.
Richards is an elder and disability rights attorney who told state legislators that elderly crime is subversive and often underreported.
"According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, 1 in 10 community-dwelling adults experienced abuse in the prior year," said Richards. "Every person, regardless of age or disability, has a right to live abuse-free in our state."
Currently, elder abuse crime carries an enhancement penalty. That means crimes against any person who is 60 years of age or older can warrant more severe punishment.
To report elderly crimes, you can call 211 or fill out an intake report online HERE.
