California Kidnapping Case: Suspect Arrested In Las Vegas

LAS VEGAS, NV — A California man suspected of abducting his ex-girlfriend and then dropping her off in Henderson, Nevada was taken into custody in Las Vegas, authorities said Tuesday night.

Joseph Hetzel, 52, was jailed on suspicion of carjacking and kidnapping, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office said in a news release. The woman, Virginia Paris, was dropped off by Hetzel at a casino-hotel late Monday night, deputies said.

Security officers at the Railroad Pass Hotel and Casino in Henderson reported that Paris, 55, approached them late Monday and told them she had been kidnapped, Henderson police said. (For more information on Hetzel's case and other Las Vegas stories, subscribe to Patch to receive daily newsletters and breaking news alerts. If you have an iPhone, click here to get the free Patch iPhone app.)

Paris was treated at a hospital and then reunited with her family. No further details were released about her condition.

Investigators believe Hetzel kidnapped Paris in Solvang, California, and drove away in her black Chrysler sedan. They were seen Sunday near Phoenix, where Paris approached a customer for help at a coffee shop.

Hetzel saw the exchange, grabbed Paris and dragged her away, investigators said. They were seen checking out of a hotel near the Grand Canyon on Monday morning.

Police found Paris' car abandoned in Mesquite, Nevada, early Tuesday.

Paris previously obtained a restraining order against Hetzel.

Photo credit: Santa Barbara Sheriff's Office via AP