A Texas couple, taken from their home at gunpoint while their five children watched, has safely returned home, and two men are now facing charges related to the apparent home invasion, according to authorities.
Xhavier Zeke Martinez, aged 29, and Felipe Patricio Valdez, aged 40, were apprehended by law enforcement and led away in handcuffs from the San Antonio police headquarters. This development came just before a press conference regarding the incident.
Sgt. Washington Moscoso informed the media that detectives had worked tirelessly to locate the couple, whose family had been violently torn apart. The identities of the victims were withheld due to ongoing safety concerns.
The terrifying ordeal unfolded when the victims, a man and a woman, were forcibly taken from their Mission Bell residence around 6 a.m. on Wednesday. Multiple armed individuals entered their home, as per Moscoso.
It’s crucial to note that this was not a random act; rather, it was a calculated and targeted kidnapping directed at this specific family, as emphasized by Moscoso. The perpetrators did not randomly select a house but specifically targeted this household.
Following an investigation that pinpointed the location where the couple was held, a SWAT team swiftly descended upon the scene. As the police presence became apparent, individuals began emerging from the house, including the couple. Martinez and Valdez were taken into custody without any resistance.
Sgt. Moscoso did not provide details regarding whether the couple had been physically restrained or how many people were inside the house where they were held. Both the man and the woman were declared medically fit and were reunited with their family on the same day.
Officials are currently conducting a search of the property in question. It has been reported that there was a warrant for Martinez’s arrest, which included charges related to deadly conduct with a firearm, evading arrest, and interfering with public duties. Additional information about Martinez’s previous arrests and the ongoing investigation could not be obtained from the Bexar County District Attorney’s Office.
The third individual sought in connection with the kidnapping has not been publicly identified by the police at this time.