A man has been arrested in Arizona after a terrifying incident involving a 75-year-old woman who was kidnapped and her boyfriend, tragically found dead at their home.
The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office shared that the ordeal began in Pearce, a small town about 80 miles southeast of Tucson. Around 8:10 p.m. on Friday, deputies received a report of a kidnapping. The elderly woman told officers she had been in the workshop behind her house earlier that afternoon, around 3 p.m., when a masked man dressed in dark clothes burst in and pointed a gun at her.
The man tied her up and blindfolded her, leaving her unsure of what was happening. She recalled hearing several loud noises, but she couldn’t tell what was going on. Later, as darkness fell, the man forced her into her own vehicle, a 2007 silver Chevrolet Avalanche, and made her sit in the back seat as he drove away.
At some point during the drive, the woman spotted a chance to escape. When the vehicle stopped, she managed to break free from her restraints and ran for help. She reached a nearby home and told her rescuers about the horrifying experience.
While speaking to the deputies, the woman mentioned that the man had stopped at a Dollar General store and might still be there. She also urged them to check on her boyfriend, who was still at their home.
When deputies went to the house and got no response, they forced their way inside. Tragically, they found the woman’s boyfriend, a 67-year-old man, dead.
Meanwhile, the suspect, identified as 37-year-old Rynn Prairie-Rocca, was tracked down near Catclaw Road and Highway 181. He refused to surrender and barricaded himself for about 90 minutes before the deputies convinced him to come out. Prairie-Rocca was then arrested and taken to the Cochise County Jail.
Authorities haven’t disclosed what charges Prairie-Rocca will face or whether he had any prior connection to the victims. They also haven’t shared how the man died or the identities of the victims.
This chilling case is still under investigation as the community of Pearce processes the shocking events.