Retired detectives relieved arrest made in cold case

The murder of two young girls obviously affected people who knew the victims most; family and friends.

Then there were the police officers and detectives who spent countless hours investigating.

Retired Phoenix Police Officer Leo Speliopoulous stood across the massive crime scene on Mountain View this morning, reflecting on a very similar scenario. "November 9th, I don't think anyone that was there that spent that time there would forget," he said.

On November 9, 1992 the officer was also the acting public information officer for the Phoenix Police Department. That morning he along with dozens of others were called out to the canal near 22nd Avenue and Cactus where the body of 22-year-old Angela Brosso had been discovered. Then nearly a year later in 1993 the body of 17-year-old Melanie Bernas was found dead.

"A second homicide much in the same manner both of the young ladies riding bicycles and it was here we go again," said Speliopoulous.

The retired detective says both murders have haunted him, and followed him through his career. The anniversaries of both tragedies are always playing in his mind until now.

Other detectives who worked the case over 20 years ago, were also on-scene yesterday, relieved that an arrest had finally been made.

"It makes me feel good to know it raises a lot of feelings, but it's good to know that there's going to be some closure for the family,"he said.

Closure is what the retired detective came here for, a sense of relief that everyone's work has finally paid off.