Police - News

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 17, 2007

CONTACT: Sgt. Jim Toomey
Public Information Officer
(602) 590-5733

Amber Alert Video

Glendale police investigators have obtained video of the suspect abandoning the Ford Expedition during the August 10th Amber Alert. They are releasing the video in the hope that someone will be able to identify the suspect. The video shows the suspect walking away from the truck and wiping his face with some type of cloth.

On August 10th, at about 3:30 pm, the suspect stole the De La Paz family’s Ford Expedition by jumping into it while it was running and then driving away. Twenty month-old Betzaday De La Paz was still in her car seat at the time. The theft occurred near 47th Avenue and Bethany Home Road. The suspect abandoned the truck near 63rd and Clarendon Avenues in Phoenix. Betzaday was found, unharmed, by the Phoenix Fire Department at about 6:30 pm.

I.D. technicians processed the vehicle and did obtain both latent prints and DNA evidence. They are searching various databases for possible matches, but have not yet found any. Lead detective Scott Walker believes the suspect may live in the area where the truck was abandoned. “There is a canal in that neighborhood, which doesn’t make sense if you’re trying to escape,” Walker said. “I think he may have gone to a place where he felt comfortable.”

CLICK HERE to view video.

Anyone with information about this suspect is asked to call the Glendale Police at 623-930-3399.