The time is always right to do what is right

The last time I saw Raul Moran he was a seven-year-old boy, he visited my house with his grandfather, Tony Galvez, who was an old family friend from way back in Cuba when he was a champion swimmer representing the Military and Naval Social Club in the Olympics.
I never saw Raul Moran again; I wouldn’t have known him if I was to have seen him on the street. I never met his older sister Christina, but his grandfather and his mother were frequent visitors at my home and those who know me can testify that not many people are invited to my home.
Tony was a very good and close friend of my uncle and when he came to Las Vegas after Fidel Castro destroyed our beautiful Island, he got into the gaming industry, as he was in Cuba, and was at Caesars Palace for almost all his American life until he died of a heart attack.
My family was by Tony’s side when his dad passed. I was there by his side when his wife died and my family was standing by when one of his sons passed away. Tony was also with us when my mom died and was one of the pallbearers. This is something one doesn’t forget.
He loved his children equally, but I think Raul Moran’s mother was his favorite, and she and the rest of the Galvez clan followed his pattern in the gaming business.
While working at Caesars Palace Tony Galvez became a bullfighter and used to travel to Mexico and Spain to practice that art. Tony used to love Mexico and it was nothing out of the ordinary to be “forced” to hear Tony Galvez talking about Mexico and bullfighting for hours at a time.
Two of his brothers were fixtures at the old Thunderbird Hotel and Casino. One of his daughters, Raul’s mom, I believe started at the Union Plaza dealing poker and then moved up to the Strip as every other one of the Galvez clan did. They were all well liked and very respected by everyone in the old Las Vegas and in the old Cuban community.
It was not uncommon to see Tony Galvez’s car pulling into my driveway at three in the morning after his shift at Caesars to enjoy a cup of Cuban coffee while talking politics and reminiscing about the “good old days” and always ending up talking about his grandchildren.
Tony Galvez was a well-liked person in my family circle and I just followed that circle, so his daughter was also very friendly and was also a regular visitor for a while.
Then, I left Las Vegas for a few years; when I got back I got into a different circle of friends and the Galvez clan already had their own different circle of friends as well. I founded the Las Vegas Tribune and we never saw each other again. But the Galvez family was always in our conversations and my family was still in constant contact with Tony Galvez.
That is why when I learned of Raul Moran’s murder lots of memories came to mind; and even if decades had passed, I had to step in and do what Tony would have done: dig for the truth and look for justice. When Raul’s sister blew it in the courtroom of a judge that was going to let her brother’s killer go free, I was very proud of her, even if I hardly knew her; remember, even if she was older than her brother she was a female and in the old Cuban tradition women were not part of the gathering with the men; besides I was out of contact with the Galvez family for almost thirty years.
In memory of Tony Galvez, I am going to make every effort possible to get to the bottom of this; I want to know why this man, Victor Cruz, and another man whose name I have not yet been able to learn (but I believe is Victor Cruz’s brother or brother-in-law), are able to get away with murder.
I have never been impressed with names or power. I have never been one to take sides with someone who is in power just because he or she is a well-connected or powerful elected official or a casino magnate.
I was the first person in this city to go against Sheriff Ralph Lamb; when everyone was afraid of the Lamb power, I made the mistake of supporting the worst sheriff we ever had—John McCarthy.
Someone asked me if I was ready to go to war with Steve Wolfson and my response was that as much as I once used to like Steve and his wife, if he allows some hanky panky in his office, I will confront him.
I want to know who killed my friend’s grandson and got away with it, and I believe I can do that without getting my friend’s family involved in it.
My name is Rolando Larraz, and as always, I approved this column.
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Rolando Larraz is Editor in Chief of the Las Vegas Tribune. His column appears weekly in this newspaper. To contact Rolando Larraz, email him
at: Rlarraz@lasvegastribune.com or at 702-272-4634.