Kidnapper of California teenager shot dead by FBI in Idaho wilderness
FBI agents have tracked down and killed a man who kidnapped a teenage girl in California and escaped with her into the Idaho wilderness. After officials spotted a campsite in the remote Idaho backwoods from the air, an FBI tactical team went in on the ground, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said on Saturday.
FBI agents have tracked down and killed a man who kidnapped a teenage girl in California and escaped with her into the Idaho wilderness.
After officials spotted a campsite in the remote Idaho backwoods from the air, an FBI tactical team went in on the ground, San Diego County Sheriff Bill Gore said on Saturday.
James Lee DiMaggio, 40, was shot and killed by an FBI agent, Gore said.
"Obviously, we would have liked Mr DiMaggio to surrender and face justice in a court of law, but that's not going to be the case," Gore said.
The hostage, identified as Hannah Anderson, 16, appeared to be in "pretty good shape" and would be evaluated at a hospital, Gore said.
DiMaggio allegedly killed Hannah's mother, Christina Anderson, and her eight-year-old brother Ethan. Their bodies were found eight days ago in the suspect's burning home in Boulevard, a small town east of San Diego in southern California.
Law enforcement officials in several states conducted a manhunt, and were finally tipped off when a horse rider called on Thursday to report having spotted a man and a girl at a remote location in central Idaho.
The rider reportedly said it seemed odd that the two were equipped with only light camping gear in such a remote region.
On Friday, police found the suspect's car, without its licence plates, hidden under the brush at the end of a trail entering an area of deep canyons and rocky hills known as the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness.
By Saturday more than 200 personnel - including local police and about 150 FBI agents - had gathered to track down the suspect, said Andrea Dearden, spokeswoman of the local sheriff.
Hannah's father, Brett Anderson, had earlier described DiMaggio as a close friend of the family.
Brett Anderson was flying to Idaho to be reunited with his daughter yesterday, officials said.
At a later press conference in Idaho, Dearden thanked those involved in the manhunt.
But she had few details on the incident and could not say whether DiMaggio was armed or had fired at the FBI agents.