abduction

Crime Report: Abduction at East Falls Church Metro

By Ethan Rothstein

Police car lightsA man and woman were able to escape an alleged abduction on Saturday after the male suspect fell asleep in the back of their car, according to Arlington County Police.

The suspect, described as a white, Hispanic or Middle Eastern man in his mid- to late-20s, jumped into the woman’s car while she was dropping off the man at the East Falls Church Metro station at about 4:20 p.m., according to Arlington County Police Department spokesman Lt. Kip Malcolm. The victims told police the suspect said “I need a ride” and directed her to drive.

“Just drive and no one will get hurt,” the alleged abductor told the two victims, according to Malcolm. “Don’t do anything stupid, and no one has to get hurt.”

The victims pulled into the Exxon station at 400 W. Broad Street in Falls Church, Malcolm said, and were able to exit the vehicle and call police after the suspect fell asleep in the back. The suspect, described as 5-foot-9 to 5-foot-11, 160-170 pounds with black hair, wearing a dark ball cap, dark blue hoodie, and blue jeans, fled the scene and avoided apprehension when he heard police sirens approaching.

From this week’s crime report:

ABDUCTION, 141122061, 1900 block of N Sycamore St, On 11/22/14 at 1620 hours, the male and female victims told police they had exited the highway and had stopped to allow the male victim to exit the vehicle when an unknown male suspect entered the rear of the vehicle demanding they continue to drive and threatening them if they called police or used their cell phones. The victim(s) continued to drive into Falls Church where the pulled into a gas station, exited the vehicle, and called police. The suspect, who was now asleep in the back, was alerted by police sirens and fled the scene. He is described as a white Hispanic or Middle Eastern male with no discernable accent, unshaven, 5’09” to 5’11”, mid to late 20s, 160-170 lbs, black hair, wearing a dark ball cap, dark blue hoodie, and blue jeans.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump. All named suspects are considered innocent until proven guilty.

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Police Impersonator Tries Luring Woman in Ballston

By ARLnow.com

Arlington police carThe Arlington County Police Department wants residents to be on alert for a police impersonator who tried luring a woman into his car this past weekend.

Police say a 31-year-old woman was driving through the Ballston area around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday (October 4), when the suspect pulled up behind her and turned on a rotating red light on his dashboard. The victim pulled over on N. 11th Street near Quincy Park and the suspect approached her car, displaying a badge. The man reportedly told the victim to get out of her car and go with him to the police station. The woman was skeptical and stayed in her car. She told the man she was going to call the police to have an officer in uniform respond to the scene. At that point, the man took off in his car.

“This suspect had the intention of getting the victim into his vehicle,” said ACPD spokesman Dustin Sternbeck. “If something doesn’t seem right to you, trust your instincts and contact police. This woman’s actions likely kept her from being abducted.”

ACPD will confirm if a traffic stop is legitimate for any citizen who calls the police non-emergency line at 703-558-2222.

The police impersonator is described as a black man, around 6′ tall and 200 pounds. He was driving an older, dark colored car that appeared to be a Crown Victoria or a similar car resembling an unmarked police vehicle.

Anyone with information about this incident should contact ACPD Detective Conigliaro at 703-228-4193 or [email protected]. To report information anonymously, contact the Arlington County Crime Solvers at 866-411-TIPS (8477).

Woman Attacked Near Columbia Pike

By ARLnow.com

Police car lightsA woman was attacked by two men near Columbia Pike Monday night.

The incident, described by police as an “attempted abduction,” took place at 10:35 p.m. on the 3800 block of 12th Street S. Two men allegedly ran up to and grabbed an 18-year-old woman as she was getting into her car.

The woman fought off the attackers, who took off on foot when they spotted a police car nearby, according to the Arlington County Police Department.

From the police report:

ATTEMPTED ABDUCTION, 140908058, 3800 block of S. 12th Street. At 10:35 pm on September 8, two subjects allegedly grabbed an 18 year-old female victim from behind as she was attempting to enter her vehicle. The victim tried to fight off her attackers and sustained minor injuries. The suspects fled the scene when they observed a police vehicle in the area that was responding to a separate incident. The victim flagged police down and a K9 search was unsuccessful. Suspect one is described as a Hispanic male, between 5’5″ and 6’0″ tall and had two stripes shaved into his hair near his temple. Suspect two is described as a Hispanic male, between 5’5″ and 6’0″ tall. He was wearing dark clothing at the time of the incident.

Police Investigate Attempted Abduction of Jogger in Fairlington

By Ethan Rothstein

Police car lights(Updated 5:25 p.m.) A jogger was nearly abducted in Fairlington Sunday morning, according to Arlington County police.

Police say a 30-year-old female jogger was running on the 3400 block of S. Utah Street at approximately 6:00 a.m. when a white, four-door sedan — driven by a white male in his 40s with brown hair and a goatee — approached her.

The man allegedly asked the victim for directions before he grabbed her and attempted to pull her into his car. She was able to break free and run home to call police.

The suspect was possible wearing a white t-shirt during the incident, police said, and drove off in the southbound direction of S. Utah Street.

The police department is asking those with information about the incident or suspect to contact Detective LeFrancois of the Special Victim’s Unit at 703-228-4095 or at [email protected]. Anonymous tips can also be provided through the Arlington County Crime Solvers Hotline at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).

Man Sentenced to 50 Years for Rape, Abduction of Daughter

By Katie Pyzyk

Rodolfo Hernandez-Suazo(Updated at 4:55 p.m.) An Arlington man has been sentenced to 50 years in prison for the January 2012 abduction and rape of his adult daughter.

Circuit Court Judge Louise M. DiMatteo imposed the jury’s sentencing for 54-year-old Rodolfo Hernandez-Suazo — which included 50 years for rape, 25 years for abduction with intent to defile and 5 years for incest — but ordered that the sentences run concurrently.

Hernandez-Suazo lured his then 22-year-old daughter to a south Arlington hotel room last year, claiming he was going to complete some maintenance work there. Once both were at the hotel, Hernandez-Suazo forced sex on his daughter.

Prosecutors say Hernandez-Suazo then told the daughter to take a shower, but she did not end up doing so. As a result, after she reported the crime to police several hours later,  investigators from the Arlington County Police Department Special Victims Unit were able to retrieve DNA evidence from her.

Hernandez-Suazo had been estranged from his daughter since leaving El Salvador about 20 years ago. They were reunited in 2009, when the daughter came to the United States to live with her mother, but she broke off contact after Hernandez-Suazo touched her inappropriately. He then re-initiated contact last year, leading to the incident in the hotel room.

“The victim held the understandable but misguided belief that she and the defendant could at last have a normal father-daughter relationship. Unfortunately he turned out to be a predator, not a parent,” said Assistant Commonwealth Attorney Lisa Tingle. “Her courage in coming forward should give others similar strength knowing that our community treats these offenses with the utmost seriousness.”

Crime Report: The Tables Have Turned Edition

By ARLnow.com

In this week’s Arlington County crime report, a man pulls a gun on his ex-boyfriend on Valentine’s Day, leading to a struggle. The victim manages to take away the suspect’s gun, and the suspect flees. Ironically, this scene played out only one block from police headquarters in Courthouse.

ABDUCTION 02/14/11, 2000 block of N. 15th Street. On February 14 at 6:50 pm, a man was walking to his car when his ex-boyfriend approached him displaying a firearm. The suspect attempted to force the victim into a car, and the two struggled. The victim was able to recover the weapon and call police. The suspect fled. Warrants are pending.

The rest of the crime report, after the jump.

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Charges Dropped Against Original Illinois Murder Suspect

By ARLnow.com

It’s looking increasingly likely that Jorge Torrez will face charges in connection with the murder of two young girls in Zion, Ill. back in 2005, a case that captivated Chicago and made national news at the time.

Charges were dropped today against the man who was originally accused of the crime. Jerry Hobbs, who confessed to the gruesome murders but later said the confession was coerced, has been released from prison, according to Chicago Breaking News.

Lake County, Ill. prosecutors are expected to hold a press conference later this morning to discuss “new information” in the case. That information is likely revolve around Jorge Torrez, a former Marine currently being held in Arlington on charges of abduction and rape.

DNA evidence in the case reportedly linked Torrez to the murders last month. Torrez used to live in Zion and was close friends with the older brother of one of the victims.

DEVELOPING — DNA Links Marine Charged in Arlington Rape to Chicago Murders

By ARLnow.com

Jorge “George” Torrez, a Marine who’s being held at the Arlington County Detention Center on charges of abduction and rape, has been linked via DNA to a double homicide outside Chicago, his attorney confirmed to ARLnow.com today.

Attorney Denman Rucker said he was contacted by investigators but had no further information about how the DNA test was performed or whether the test was “legitimate.”

The crime that Torrez is being linked to occurred in 2005.

Laura Hobbs and Krystal Tobias, ages 8 and 9, were found repeatedly stabbed in a park in the lakeside city of Zion, Ill. Jerry Hobbs, Laura’s, confessed to the crime after a 20-hour interrogation, but later said the confession of coerced, according to the Chicago Tribune.

Prosecutors pressed the case against Hobbs despite the fact that his DNA did not match semen found on one of the girls’ body and clothing. He has been held in jail for five years. The DNA was matched to a new suspect last month, prosecutors told the Tribune.

Torrez’s sister, who lives in Zion, says investigators told her that evidence points to her brother. Sara Torrez says Jorge, 21, was friends with Tobias’ brother, but says she believes her brother is innocent.

So far, Torrez has not been charged in connection with the murders. Arlington County authorities have been alerted to the DNA link and are following the case.

In Illinois, meanwhile, a court hearing that may result in Hobbs’ release has been set for July 21.

The Zion murders achieved infamy in Chicago and received national media attention. In an 2005 interview with Greta Van Susteren of Fox News Channel, Lake County, Ill. prosecutor Michael Waller defended the prosecution of Hobbs even though there were inconsistencies with his confession.

“It’s not unusual to have a defendant give untruths in a statement where he admits his guilt. It’s something we deal with all the time,” he said.

Waller also explained why Sheila Hollabaugh, the mother of Laura Hobbs, maintained that her boyfriend was innocent.

“It’s not unusual for the girlfriend or the wife to stick with the defendant,” Waller said. “If that happens in this case, you know, I won’t be surprised.”

Abduction Suspect May Have Attacked Another Woman

By ARLnow.com

Arlington police have revealed new details about the case of the Marine charged with abducting a woman and suspected of brutally raping another woman last month.

Jorge “George” Torrez, a 21-year-old Marine stationed at Fort Myer’s Henderson Hall, was arrested over the weekend and charged in the Feb. 10 attempted abduction of a woman from the 1700 block of N. Quincy Street.

Torrez is also suspected in the abduction, sexual assault and near-fatal beating of a woman from N. Wakefield Street in Ballston early Saturday morning, according to police.

Now police are suggesting that Torrez might have been involved in an assault that occurred just an hour before Saturday’s alleged abduction. The assault occurred in the 4500 block of N. 4th Street at 3:00 a.m., according to police. That’s less than a mile from where the Ballston abduction took place, at 4:00 a.m.

Police say a man followed a woman up to her house, forced her inside, then used a stun gun on her. The woman yelled, waking up her roommate, and the suspect fled, according to investigators. Police say the assault is “believed to be connected” to Torrez.

Weekend News Roundup

By ARLnow.com

Arlington Police Make Arrest in Abduction Case — A Marine based at Fort Myer’s Henderson Hall has been arrested and charged with abduction and robbery. Jorge “George” Torrez, 21, is accused of robbing and trying to abduct a woman from the 1700 block of N. Quincy Street on February 10. Torrez is also a suspect in the abduction of a woman from the 600 block of N. Wakefield St. in Ballston early Saturday morning, according to Arlington police. The woman was found raped and left for dead in Prince William County after an extensive search by several law enforcement agencies. More from the Washington Post.

Planes Clip Wings at Reagan National Airport — Two US Airways were involved in a minor collision while on the tarmac at Reagan National Saturday morning. Nobody was injured, but both planes were taken out of service and passengers were booked on other flights. More from ABC7.

Arlington Spent $5 Million on Snow Removal — Arlington County spent $5 million on snow removal this winter, five times the normal snow removal budget. No word yet on how much of the budget went to the contractors who helped keep streets passable during February’s big snow storms. More from the Sun Gazette.