‘Sexual Predator’ Gets Death for Raping, Killing Woman, Injuring Samaritan

BRIGHTON, Colo. (AP) _ A ``sexual predator″ who kidnapped and raped a casino waitress, then killed her and crippled a woman who tried to help, was sentenced on Tuesday to die.

Robert Harlan, in a wheelchair after recent liver surgery, just shook his head when asked by Judge Philip Roan if he had anything to say.

Harlan, the 31-year-old son of a Denver police detective, was convicted June 21 of the kidnap, rape and murder of Rhonda Maloney, 25, last year.

The judge also sentenced Harlan to 144 years in prison for three other convictions _ aggravated assault and assault with a deadly weapon for shooting Good Samaritan Jacquie Creazzo and for kidnapping Maloney.

Harlan’s attorney, Terri Brake, asked that the death sentence be stayed in view of Harlan’s poor health, but District Attorney Bob Grant argued against any delay, calling Harlan a ``sexual predator″ and a ``vicious criminal.″

Harlan ran Maloney’s car off the highway and kidnapped her after she got off work at a Central City casino. Early the morning of Feb. 12, 1994, Creazzo was driving to meet her father when Maloney flagged her down.

Creazzo testified Maloney told her: ``My God, he has raped me at gunpoint for two hours.″

Creazzo was trying to drive her to the Thornton Police Department. Harlan pursued them in another car, pulled alongside and riddled Creazzo’s car with bullets. Wounded, Creazzo drove onto the police station lawn.

Harlan then dragged Maloney from the car. Her body was found under a bridge east of Denver days later.

``If he had shown any remorse I could have some pity on him,″ said Creazzo, a paraplegic who faces another round of surgery in a few months. ``His future is in the Lord’s hands. I’ve got to get on with my life.″

Harlan is unlikely to be executed for years. He will join three other men on Colorado’s death row to wait for the long appeals process to play out. Colorado has not executed anyone since 1967.