Fresno River Trail Attempted Kidnapping
June 27, 2024 – Madera County Sheriff's Office officials report that at around 9:45 A.M. on June 26, 2024, the Madera County Sheriff’s Communications Center received a call for service at the Fresno River for an attempted kidnapping in the area of Road 23 and Avenue 15 1/2 in Madera.
The reporting party, an adult female in her 20’s, reported being approached on the Granada Trail by an unknown male subject. The male attempted to grab her and tried to put something on her mouth. She was able to avert his grasp and ran away to call for help. During the attack, the suspect took the victim’s car keys and earphones. She was able to provide deputies with a description of the subject, and the general direction of where he fled.
MCSO Deputies, along with many of our local law enforcement partners, responded to the scene to search for the suspect. After nearly 5 hours of canvassing the area on foot and OHVs, with K9s, and overhead via drone and helicopter, the search was concluded. During the search, multiple individuals were contacted, a search warrant for a nearby encampment was issued, and several leads were investigated, but ultimately, the assailant was not identified.
While conducting this operation, it was determined that another similar incident occurred in the area on Saturday, June 15. Around 8:45 A.M., a 36-year-old female walking on the Granada Trail was approached by an adult Hispanic male, who threatened her in Spanish with a gun, forced her to walk towards the orchards near the Fresno River, and bound her wrists. She was able to escape, and ran through the orchards towards Road 23, where she was able to call 9-1-1.
Though we cannot conclusively confirm the two cases are connected, the circumstances are similar enough that we believe they may be related. The subject described in both cases is an adult Hispanic male, around 5’6-8”. He may have a mustache. One victim described the subject as very skinny, approximately 20-45 years old, with brown eyes.
The suspect in both of these cases remains outstanding. We urge the public to use extreme caution in the area these attacks occurred (Fresno River Granada Trail- Road 23 & Avenues 15-15/12). If you do recreate in this area, please follow these safety tips:
- DO NOT GO ALONE
- Always be aware of your surroundings
- Avoid using headphones or other devices that may impair your hearing
- Always have a cell phone and/or tracking device on your person
- Stay on marked trails, and away from bushes or alcoves where someone could hide
- Carry a whistle or shrill alarm to summon help if needed
- Wear bright colored clothing to improve your visibility
If you suspect you're being followed, call for help immediately and find a safe place to wait for law enforcement to arrive. Local law enforcement will be increasing our presence in the area and continue our efforts to identify and locate the suspect(s) in these cases.
Anyone with information about these cases is asked to call (559) 675-7770. Tips may also be emailed to MCSOTip@maderacounty.com. Anonymous tips may be made through Valley Crime Stoppers at (559) 498-STOP (7867), or by texting “Tip MaderaSO” followed by your message to 888777. Tips may also be made on the Madera County Sheriff’s Mobile App: MaderaSheriffApp.com.
Finally, the Madera County Sheriff’s Office would like to express our gratitude to the outpouring of support from our law enforcement partners throughout the community. The response to this incident included members of the Madera Police Department, Chowchilla Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Madera County Regional SWAT Team, and Madera County Narcotic Enforcement Team. In addition to patrol deputies, MCSO dedicated personnel from the Special Enforcement Team, Investigations, K9, UAV, and OHV Units, and Citizens on Patrol to assist.
Source & photo: Madera County Sheriff's Office
