Crime & Safety

Search Is On For Suspected Kidnapping Victim, 57, From Vallejo; 4 Arrested, But Not Talking

The woman's son told police he received a threatening text stating she was being held for cash. He found her house empty and tiny dog dead.

PHOTOS from left: Images 1 and 2: missing victim Elvira Babb, 57. Four arrested suspects: Emmanuel Espinoza, 26; Jaylon Brown, 32; Larry Young, 23; Lovely Rauzol, 27. Photos via VPD.

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VALLEJO, CA -- A frantic search is on for a 57-year-old Vallejo woman, who was possibly kidnapped more than a week ago and held for ransom, as the four suspects arrested in the case are not divulging her whereabouts, according to law enforcement.

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The missing woman's son, John Babb of San Francisco, called the Vallejo Police Department shortly after noon on July 1 to report he received a threatening text message from an unknown number that stated his mother, Elvira Babb, was kidnapped and being held for cash, police said.

Babb told police that the text, which was received June 30 at 8:45 p.m., read that the sender had his mother, demanded money and threatened her life if he did not comply or contacted the police, according to authorities.

Find out what's happening in Napa Valleyfor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Babb went to his mother's home on the 100 block of Daniels Avenue in Vallejo that night only to find her missing, her little dog dead and no signs of forced entry, police said

Elvira Babb was reported last seen by coworkers the afternoon of June 29 when she was dropped off at Seafood City Supermarket in Vallejo.

Elvira lives about eight blocks away from the market, which is at 3495 Sonoma Blvd., and she works in Napa, police Lt. Jeff Bassett said.

Vallejo detectives said they developed "sufficient information" to obtain an arrest warrant for the primary suspect in this case -- Emmanuel Espinoza, 26, of Stockton. Espinoza was arrested Friday night in the Sacramento area, but has not divulged the location of missing Babb, police said.

Also arrested in connection with the suspected kidnapping are: Jalon Brown, 32, of Sacramento; Larry Young, 23, of Sacramento; and Lovely Rauzol, 27 of Vallejo. Police did not detail the suspects' links to the missing woman.

The kidnappers demanded less than $100,000 in ransom, Bassett said.

The four suspects were booked Friday night or early this morning into the Solano County Jail on a charge of suspicion of kidnapping for ransom, said the Vallejo police, who are working with several agencies on the case, including the FBI, the Fairfield Police Department, Solano County Sheriff's Office, Sacramento Police Department and the United States Marshals Service.

"The investigation is still ongoing, and we are still searching for the victim with the hope we may find her unharmed," the Vallejo department said. "We urge anyone who may have information about this case or may know the whereabouts of the victim to contact Detective Terry Poyser of the Vallejo Police Department at 707-648-4080. As always please call 911 with any emergency information."

Citizens can also provide information anonymously to the Solano Crime Stoppers™ tip line 707-644-STOP. Solano Crime Stoppers™ offers cash rewards for phone tips that solve violent and/or serious crimes.

--Bay City News contributed to this report

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