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AP
This undated handout photo provided by the Anchorage Police Department shows 34-year-old Israel Keyes.
ANCHORAGE, Alaska - A man has been arrested in Texas in connection with the disappearance of 18-year-old barista Samantha Koenig, who was abducted from a drive-up Alaska coffee stand six weeks ago, police said on Thursday.
Israel Keyes, the owner of an Anchorage construction company whose website says he served three years in the U.S. Army and moved to Alaska in 2007, was arrested on Tuesday in Lufkin, Texas.
He was identified as a "person on interest" in the disappearance of Samantha Koenig, who was seized from the coffee stand on February 1, the Anchorage Police Department said in a statement.
She is still missing, and police remain hopeful she is alive.
Keyes' arrest was coordinated by Anchorage police, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, local law-enforcement agencies in Lufkin and the Texas Rangers, according to the statement.
NBC News affiliate KTUU's Ted Land reports on Israel Keyes' background
He was being held at a federal facility in Beaumont, Texas, Anchorage police said. Details of the charges against Keyes were not released, and the federal arrest warrant was sealed, police said.
AP
Police say there is little doubt barista Samantha Koenig, 18, was abducted after she closed up a coffee stand Wednesday night.
Koenig's whereabouts remain unknown and the public was still being asked to supply any potential information, Anchorage police said.
Koenig was abducted as she finished her evening barista shift in an incident recorded on the coffee stand's video camera.
Posters identifying her as kidnapped are displayed around Anchorage. Friends and supporters held a candlelight vigil two weeks after her disappearance, and a reward fund has been established by her father and others for information leading to her safe return.
Det. Slawomir Markiewicz told the Anchorage Daily News that two Anchorage detectives had been in Texas for several days prior to the arrest working on the case.
The Daily News reported that Markiewicz would not say if Keyes matched the description of the man seen in the video.
"He's the only person we charged, and the only person of interest," the newspaper quoted him as saying. "And the biggest thing at this time is that we haven't found Samantha Koenig and we don't know her whereabouts."
Missing barista abducted from coffee stand, Anchorage police say
The Anchorage detectives will remain in Texas for several more days serving search warrants, he said. When asked if the arrest meant police are closer now to finding Koenig, Markiewicz replied, "Of course."
Keyes, who has also lived in Washington state, was arrested in a restaurant parking lot in front of onlookers, according to Lufkin television station KTRE which first reported the story.
It said he was first pulled over after committing a traffic violation, following which investigators found enough evidence in the vehicle to arrest Keyes for suspected kidnapping, it reported.
Keyes' website says he moved to Alaska in 2007 and is "yet to have a dissatisfied customer". There was no answer at the Anchorage telephone number on the website when msnbc.com called.
The Anchorage Daily News said neither Markiewicz nor Koenig's father know how Keyes might have known Koenig.
"We haven't found evidence linking him to her," Markiewicz told the newspaper. "We don't know if he knew her before (she disappeared)."
He added: "As I've said before, I believe this case will be solved. This is a step toward that goal, a big step."
Reuters and msnbc.com staff contributed to this report.
Leave a Comment:
It would seem Israel cannot be trusted anywhere.
You're trolling the wrong article.
oh no you didnt !
lay down the pipe stoner......
Haha. Wow!
How did he know her? There's a coffee shack on every other corner in Anchorage and Fairbanks. The barristas all have their own customer base.
Is the best picture they could find of this poor girl really need to be the one with her wearing a marijuana bandanna? Not that I have a problem with it, but geez! Unfortunately, if this is the guy responsible and she is no where to be found still, she is most likely dead. Hopefully I am wrong, if not, hopefully this is the right guy and he gets what he deserves.
Agree with Jason...too bad about the cannibis headgear; she will be judged harshly by the closed-minded among us.
I was thinking the same thing. Really?! This is the only picture they have of her to show nationwide?! I don't care either way, I just think it was tasteless to use THIS picture. I pray that she is found alive. Very sad.
Do you recall the australian teenage girl that had the fake bomb strapped to her neck? The girl was going thu a horrible ordeal and they posted a boobie shot of her! I wonder who makes the call on what pic to use...
Hahaha. You beat me to it, Jason.
I did not notice the headband when I first looked at her picture and had to scroll back up to see the headband. After 6 weeks it is unlikely she will be found alive. So sad for her and the family. Hopefully there will be some follow up on this story.
Looks like she's ALREADY being judged...
7 posts, and 5 about how SHE looks
Sheesh!
For those of you that say in regards to the headband 'not that I have a problem with it'; if you didn't have a problem with it then why even mention it? And, 'is that the only picture they could use?' Out of this whole thing, that is what you are commenting most about? Maybe in the rush to get her picture out to the community and the nation, the family just grabbed the first and probably most recent picture of their beautiful daughter. Try and expand your thought process a bit before shooting from the hip. Not everything is a joke. Some sensitivity would be nice for a change.
More interesting than the headband is the part of the article that says they found evidence that would link him to a kidnapping at the traffic stop.
What would that be?
If it is a gun, then you don't automatically say : "Must be a kidnapper."
Handcuffs are legal, and can be used in kinky ways.
Rope and duct tape are pretty normal items. Real men keep those handy.
So what did they find?
For a cop to pull you over on a traffic stop, and then see items in plain sight that warrant taking someone in on suspicion of kidnapping is pretty odd.
Probably happens 1 in 10 million stops.
Darn these "writers". They never ask the good questions, or at least explain that they did ask but couldn't get an answer.
Apparently the camera caught not only the guy's face but probably the license of the car he ws driving.
Hahahaha! This is Newsvine, darlin'. If you're looking for sensitivity, you're in the wroooooong place.
Now, to address your cloud of sanctimonious condescension: I don't know about anyone else, but the MJ headband picture struck me as an odd photo choice not because I have any kind of problem with it, but because I know so many other people have goofball ignorant biases.
And, I was actually thinking there could be a slim chance it may hurt this poor girl's odds of a safe return. Not to mention the fact that she's been missing for 6 weeks, so your "rush to get her picture out the community" theory doesn't really hold up.
In sum, perhaps you should hold off on the self-righteous scolding until you actually have something beyond a 1-2 sentence internet post for context. Peace.
I pray she is found alive & well. That would be such a wonderful happy ending. If this guy did this, I hope he tells them where she is. Prayers to the family, friends & community. Let's all pray for a happy ending.
Agreed.
It's been six weeks, I doubt she's still alive.
It'll be a nicer end to the story if I'm wrong, but I don't think I am.
w/the suspect in texas i highly doubt it. unfortunatley these things rarely end well for the young women abducted. we need to teach our daughter's, sister's and friends to look out for themselves and each othher. we need to teach our son's & brother's that women should be treated w/respect and kindness, not malice.
Whuppppp!!! Here we go with the praying bit. Knew that one was gonna creep in there sometime. I guess we can do away with the investigation, cause praying will take care of everything.
this is an old article but i guess I was bored and just kept taking the links that started with the POS who abducted and killed this poor young woman to this article and as usual (just like rubber necking) I had to check the comments to see how much bashing was going to go on over this article.
Bubba, get a grip and I don't mean on your Pabst or old Milwaukee beer can.
EVERYONE, from sports coaches, players, policeman, police chiefs, politicians, our PO USA to even your mother (probably) uses the word pray.
The victim is in OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS. All of us here at The White House and The citizens of Our Country send our thoughts and prayers to the victims of that horrible crash.... My Dept and all of our officers are working diligently to find the perpetrator of this horrible crime and OUR THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS are with the victim and his/her family.etc. etc. etc.
Really BUBBA, that's all you could muster up for your oh so enlightening comment about the article? WOW, talk about giving the name BUBBA more of a stereotypical bad rep.
Bubba, your comment was lame, had nothing to do with the article and just displayed a total amount of ignorance that astounded even me... and I am pretty ignorant.
WOW, have a nice day Bubba.
She has either been sold as sex slave, or she is dead. There is nothing in between.
Love your optimism, Steven100.
Actually, I was thinking Steve's first option may be right. This guy "allegedly" kidnapped her in Alaska, but was picked up in Texas? She could have been sold south of the border, poor girl. I hope they do find her, whatever the outcome. It must be terrible for her family not to know.
Steve is not being pessimistic but rather being realistic.
We all hope for a happier outcome but the sad truth is those are rare in these cases after a such a significant amount of time has passed.
Selling humans into slavery isn't as easy as on TV. Death or confinement is probably more realistic.
@flbikerchick: Nothing "allegedly" about it. He is on surveillance tape. What they aren't saying, at least I didn't see it here, is that he may have used her bank card and that is, at this time, what they are holding him for.
Where do u buy 1 of them thar sex slaves?? Slave-mart??? Craig's slave list???LOL
For some reason, law enforcement seems to think she is alive....I hope she is found safe. Does this guy have he somewhere?
'person on interest' huh...
MSNBC is just getting worse and worse at writing articles.
As far as the marijuana headgear. Marijuana is legal in alaska. as long as you dont sell it barter it or trade it for something. grow your own on your own property. if you get caught in a car driving you get the same as a dui and i think its a $500 fine for carrying marijuana.
The one they missed again. if he was visiting texas she still might be alive. if he had went there to hide shes dead. too bad.
Right about now I would be down for some of that country justice where a couple of good old boys take this scum out behind the barn for a friendly chat. You would be surprised how free flowing the information can be when you add an ax handle and a bull whip to the conversation. Based upon the looks of this guy I would say that he might last 10 minutes before the little bitch starts singing like Pararotti. They could add a pair of pliers to the conversation if they really want him to hit the high notes. The sad part about all of this is that they wont take it there an meanwhile this poor girl weed headband and all could either be dead or stashed in some horrible place near death or in pretty bad shape. God be with her and I pray that they find her alive because at her age she still has her whole life ahead of her. God speed in finding her!!!
more like 10 seconds. you can always tell why guys prey on innocent children & young girls. they're the only one's defenseless against weakling abusers/rapists.
You've definitely got the right idea. While punk boy sits in a cell this girl could well be dying buried in a hole. I hope the police use "extreme" measures to make him talk. Like other inmates beating him senseless for hours in a dark cell.
Hey how about this....I know how to get out of ever having to perform jury duty...Right? Anybody who is arrested is guilty, Right?
So we can just torture them...give me a break....
I wonder how the detectives linked him to her as the only person of interest. I hope she is found alive, but it doesn't look like that will be the case.
Not sure if I agree with the sex slavery south of the border theory, though. He would be taking a huge risk to bring a girl all the way from Alaska. In comparison, he could easily find a girl near the border to sell - and possibly someone who's disappearance may not attract so much publicity. My guess is she never left Alaska, deceased, and he was fleeing.
When someone you love is stolen and they ask for a recent picture you grab what you have. You are not in an emotional state to scrutinize the picture and it may be the only recent picture available. So what about the headband. I only looked at the poor girls face which is what the police need. You don't get to sit and go through photos and say "this one is nice." You're in a panic. What recent photo do you have ready if your loved one is stolen?
Really? He posted his Army Achievement Medal as one of only two "references?" That doesn't say much for his performance.
If he had seen her and become obsessed with her he could have decided he was "in love" and had to have her. A 58 yr old guy at work has decided he is in love with a 23 yr old at work and is stalking her. All she can do is get a restraining order which says he has to stay XX feet away from her. Work can`t fire him at this point as he continues to do his work. He sends her love letters even acknowledging this is one sided, that she hasn`t done anything to encourage him. It is beyond creepy since he knows it is himself yet continues to do stuff.
There are some weird people out there. The barista could have smiled and just asked how his day was when he bought his coffee. I hope she is found alive. That someone saw him with her in tow and can give information as to where he might have her stashed.
stalking is a crime and the creep you're talking about most definatly can be fired for causing a hostile work environment. if i were the young lady involved, i would sue the company for failing to keep her safe from fellow workers. her life is in danger.
Your co-worker should have some friends rough him up before he decides he must have her. If that doesn't work maybe she should buy a very powerful firearm.
Kelcy, what you say is very true. It is possible he was a "silent" stalker, and was waiting for the right opportunity to strike.
I pray they find her alive, although it seems doubtful at this point.
yes a firearm and some self defense classes. And I mean real classes like I took and so will my daughter. The kind that teach you how to twist out of a choke hold and how to kill someone by punching them a certain way in the nose. Please moms and dads- give your daughters a chance to survive if they are ever abducted and take a defense class with them- telling them about strangers is NOT enough. And you dads can take it one step further by giving your daughters an 8 inch serrated hunting knife when they turn 16 and teach them how to use it- like my dad did - 35 years ago. Thanks Dad- you were ahead of your time!!
"It said he was first pulled over after committing a traffic violation, following which investigators found enough evidence in the vehicle to arrest Keyes for suspected kidnapping, it reported."
You would assume they found something belonging to Samantha Koenig in his vehicle. Example: marijuana bandanna.
Why do men see women and girls as property they can take like inanimate objects? Give him the death penalty and make it quick. I"m sure Texas will have him extradited in no time at all. If we're lucky the Texas Rangers will "persuade" him to answer some critical questions before he's shipped back to Alaska.
In kidnapping cases where the victim hasn't been found Waterboarding should be legal.
Vegains wrote “In kidnapping cases where the victim hasn't been found Waterboarding should be legal.” I agree with harsh treatment if there is substantial evidence that the police have the right suspect. However, police in the USA have a long history of making false statements, fabricating and manufacturing evidence, framing innocent people, and lying to cover for other police. We cannot trust the police only torture suspects that are probably guilty. If police can torture suspects, then they can gain even more convictions. Unfortunately it will be easier for police to extract confessions from completely innocent people. Today the police may be framing someone else, but who will speak up when the police frame me or you?
This young woman is the cousin of a good friend of mine. Please pray for her safe return.
At least he had enough sense to abduct a hot girl. Some of these guys risk a life sentence for a girl who's ugly as a mud fence. Or fat, which is even worse. A hot body will definitely compensate for a bad face.
Ron, how dare you! Shame shame shame on you! It's guys like you who do crimes like this.
Ron-4037978; YOU'RE A JACKASS!!!!!!!!
I did think the same thing about the headband, but Alaskagirl put it into perspective for me - the family probably grabbed the first and most recent photo available - desperate to get her photo out there. I hope she is ok.
Regarding the comments about this poor girls choice in headgear...come on guys/gals, she is 18 years old and subject to a few questionable choices as she grows into maturity. If you really want to rag about something someone's wearing just go spen an hour or so at the closest big box cut-rate store (like Wal-mart or Sam's Club, Etc.). She could have been so excentric that she wore a gorilla suit every day but the fact remains that she was abducted, in all likelihood is now deceased and did not deserve any of it. Give the youngun and her family and friends some slack. Hope that she is found OK but in any event I hope that she is found soon for the loved ones sake...and hers too if she still survives. Good luck Anchorage P.D. and all the other agencies seeking her return and ultimate justice on him.
Let me get this straight,,a girl gets abducted ,seems like there positive that she did , what ever the situation.
The reason this happened is because of a cannabis head band?
Woman when are they gonna learn,it's always there fault. Provocative clothing
She's a cutey pie, who cares if she smoked a little gange?What else is there to do up in Alaska??She was probably too friendly to a customer while she was doing her job.Dude was obviously a creepy freak who had to have her.Her corpse has probably already been chowed on by a bunch of wild animals,good luck finding what's left of it.
I am so sick and tired of stories like this. I say that we have new laws in place for predators like this. Death by firing squad, but not before they are tortured! Sick, evil pigs!
LOL....."abducted 6 weeks ago from coffee stand....police remain hopeful she is still alive..." U-huh....and Santorum will become President...