Police in Arizona arrested a man after a 75-year-old woman was kidnapped and her boyfriend was found dead in their home.
According to a press release, deputies from the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office responded to a report of a woman being kidnapped in Pearce, about 80 miles east-southeast of Tucson, around 8:10 p.m. on Friday.
The woman said she was in the workshop in the back of her house around 3 p.m. Friday when a masked man in dark clothing entered and pointed a gun at her.
The woman told cops that the man restrained her and put a blindfold over her eyes. She then heard several “loud noises” and was unsure what was going on.
Once night fell, the suspect forced the victim into the back seat of her 2007 silver Chevrolet Avalanche, according to police. Deputies say the suspect drove away from the house. When the vehicle came to a stop, the woman broke free from her restraints and fled.
She was able to run to a nearby house for assistance.
The woman told deputies that the man had walked into a Dollar General and thought she was still inside when she described the horrific ordeal to police.
She then asked them to check on her boyfriend at home. Deputies attempted to contact anyone inside, but received no response. They forced their way into the home and discovered the boyfriend, a 67-year-old man, had died.
Meanwhile, police identified the suspect as Rynn Prairie-Rocca, 37, who was apprehended near Catclaw Road and Highway 181. Prairie-Rocca barricaded himself for approximately 90 minutes before police were able to coax him out.
They took him to the Cochise County Jail. It’s unclear what charges he faces.
Police did not say whether the incident was random or if Prairie-Rocca had any connection to the victims. Deputies also declined to publicly identify the victims or explain how the male victim died. The incident is still under investigation.
