Kidnapped Oregon Family Found Safe in Bakersfield, California

A combination of family and police efforts led to the safe recovery of four family members who were under threat by the alleged kidnapper.

File photo of Kern County patrol car Courtesy: kernsheriff.com

(BAKERSFIELD, Calif.) - Salem Police say they were contacted by Kern County deputies in Bakersfield, California, over a family who had been kidnapped from the Salem area on Wednesday, August 12th.

They were found safe in Bakersfield Friday evening.

Lt. Jim Anglemier with Salem Police Department's Community Response Section, says Salem Police Officers have not been able to interview the victims as of yet, but the following sequence of events has been determined.

"During the morning of Wednesday, 8/12/09, Luz Villanueva, and her two daughters, ages 20 and 14, and her grandson, age 1; left their residence in Dallas to go to Salem to do some shopping." Between 2:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 8/12/09: Villanueva and her family were contacted in a small shopping mall near Market St. NE & Hawthorne Ave. NE in Salem by Nunez, who is Villanueva's ex-husband and father of their two daughters, who has not been seen or heard from in two years.

Anglemier said, "Nunez threatened to harm the victims if they did not go with him, which they did. Nunez made comments of taking the victims to Mexico to live. The group drove to southern Oregon, staying the night at a motel."

It is not clear exactly which motel the family stayed in, Anglemier said.

"During the night, Villanueva was able to slip out of the motel room while others were asleep and got the car ready to leave with her family. When she returned to the room to get them, Nunez was awake, waiting for her and threatened to kill her. The group loaded up in their vehicle and continued driving." At approximately 9:30 p.m., Thursday,Villanueva's 18-year old son, who also lives with the family in Dallas, received a phone call from one of his sisters. She informed her brother that they are all okay and in the Modesto, California area."

The phone call is very short and left Villanueva's son concerned for their safety. He called the Dallas Police. Villanueva's son also called other relatives to let them know what is going on and to call if they learn of anything.

The next day, Friday, 8/14/09; Nunez and the victims stopped at a residence in Visalia, California, where Nunez picked up some items and then left with the victims. Another family relative saw this and called the local police out of concern for the victims safety.

Anglemier said, "Later on Friday, Nunez and the victims stopped at a motel outside of Bakersfield, Ca. While Nunez and Villanueva remained at the motel, the other victims went to get some food to bring back. While going to get food, the victims saw a Sheriffs deputy, flagged him down and told him of what had happened."

At approximately 7:00 p.m. Friday, Kern County Sheriffs deputies went to the motel room where they contacted Villanueva and found Nunez hiding in the bathroom.

Nunez was taken into custody without incident and is currently being held.

Villanueva, her children and grandson are safe. Salem Police and the Marion Co. District Attorney's Office are coordinating charges to be filed against Nunez, along with the extradition process.

At this point, 37-year old Ricardo Toro Nunez of Visalia, Calif., will be charged with 4 counts of first-degree Kidnap, a no bail, 4 counts of Menacing, bail: $20,000, 4 counts of Coercion, bail: $40,000, and Unauthorized Use of a Motor Vehicle, bail: $10,000.