New details emerge in 5 arrests for pair of San Elizario kidnappings
UPDATE, Jan. 19: SAN ELIZARIO, Texas – New details have emerged in court documents in the case of five people who were arrested and charged in connection with two abductions at gunpoint in San Elizario.
What seemed like something out of a Hollywood movie involving zip ties, beatings and torching of body parts, turned into an all too real crime inside a San Elizario home.
Sheriff's deputies were called by a woman on Jan. 5 claiming her brother had been kidnapped.
Deputies followed the clues given to them by the woman and unraveled a crime, as well as a second victim they knew nothing about before going inside the home.
"Actually, I thought it was like something, related to drugs." said Maria Cervantes, which is not the woman's real name. She asked ABC-7 to hide her identity.
Cervantes noticed a great deal of activity across the street from her home not commonly found in an otherwise quiet neighborhood.
"We saw a lot of people, always that I didn’t trust. I didn't trust leaving my fence open. Because there was always random people going in," Cervantes explained.
According to affidavits provided by El Paso County Sheriff's deputies, Monica Ivonne Sacks called deputies from a home in Socorro saying her 42-year-old brother left the home with his girlfriend.
The girlfriend returned to the Socorro home and told deputies Ramon Aguirre was kidnapped at gun point. The girlfriend also told deputies where they could find Aguirre.
Neither the sister or the girlfriend were at the Socorro home when the ABC-7 news crews were there knocking on the door.
According to the sheriff's affidavit, deputies came to San Elizario home. Deputies found Ramon Aguirre. But they also found another kidnapped victim.
Deputies say they found Aguirre who had been tied with zip ties, his mouth covered with duct tape. Aguirre later told them he was kicked and poked with different knives while a defendant pointed a shotgun at him. Aguirre also stated that he was also burned with a torch light on his right calf.
But while deputies were inside questioning Aguirre, they found another man, 18-year-old Ricardo Ramirez. He too told deputies he was being held against his will.
The people holding him had removed the zip ties and ordered him to tell deputies to pretend he was with his kidnappers.
Deputies arrested 24-year-old Sergio Rivera, 22-year-old Manuel Luna, 41-year-old Luis Carrillo, 29 year old Rodolfo Vasquez, and 26-year-old Kim Balderrama.
All were booked into the El Paso County Detention Facility and charged with two counts of Engaging in Organized Criminal Activity and Aggravated Kidnapping.
Cervantes saaid she will not sleep well in the coming days because of what she learned.
"We had been thinking of getting cameras. And now we're more sure of getting them." said Cervantes.
Both Aguirre and Ramirez were taken to Del Sol Medical Center where they were treated for their injuries.
ORIGINAL REPORT, Jan. 13: SAN ELIZARIO, Texas – Five people were arrested and charged in connection with a man's abduction at gunpoint from a San Elizario convenience store, sheriff's deputies said Wednesday.
The armed kidnapping happened last Thursday at an unnamed store and was reported to authorities by the victim's sister, investigators indicated.
Deputies said they tracked the abducted man, whose identity was not released, to a home where they found him being held captive along with a second kidnap victim.
Five people at the home were taken into custody on charges alleging they engaged in organized crime and aggravated kidnapping. Those arrested were identified by El Paso County Sheriff’s Office as:
- Sergio Rivera, age 24
- Manuel Luna, age 22
- Luis Carrillo, age 41
- Rodolfo Vasquez, age 29
- Kim Balderrama, age 26
All five remained held at the El Paso County Detention Facility.
Deputies declined to released further details of the case citing their ongoing investigation.
