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Search leads to kidnapping suspect
On August 16, Phoenix police officers responded to two radio calls at 1916 E. Illini Street just before 5 a.m. Neighbors reported hearing windows breaking, a woman screaming, and shots fired. A witness told responding officers he had a confrontation with the suspect, 37 year-old Juan Jose Avitia, at 2:00 a.m. At that time, Avitia, who does not live there, took his 5 year-old daughter and left. No one called police at that time. The suspect returned just before 5:00 a.m. and that is when windows were broken and shots were fired. It appears the suspect, who already had the child, kidnapped the 20 year-old mother, who was living there with the child, and left the scene.
Patrol officers searched city wide for suspect Avitia and the victims, who were in a green 1998 four door Cadillac Deville. The media put out information to the public seeking help in locating the suspect and victims. At 9:49 a.m. a local hospital called to report the mother and child were being treated there for minor injuries. Phoenix Police patrol officers continued to look for Juan Jose Avitia.
Information led them to the area of 75th Avenue and Lower Buckeye Road, where they had a description of a home but no address. After searching neighborhoods the officers soon found Avitia and he was taken into custody without incident. The vehicle was also recovered at that location. Juan Jose Avitia was booked into jail for two felony warrants: one for a sexual offense and the other for forgery, as well as 2 counts each of kidnapping, aggravated assault, burglary, and reckless endangerment for the incident involving the two victims.