Photo: West Richland Police Department
Elias Huizar, the former school police officer reported to have abducted his 1-year-old son while on the run amid accusations that he killed both his ex-wife and underage girlfriend on the same day he was scheduled to appear in court for allegedly raping two 16-year-old girls died by suicide.
Huizar, 39, was found by Oregon State Police Department troopers with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head following a police pursuit on I-5, USA TODAY reports. The 1-year-old boy, identified as Roman Santos, was found safe in the back seat of the vehicle Huizar was driving unharmed and taken into police custody, Oregon State Police Cpt. Kyle Kennedy announced on Tuesday (April 23).
Huizar is accused of killing his ex-wife, Amber Rodriguez, at the William Wiley Elementary School where she worked as a paraeducator on Monday (April 22), days after she filed to change the custody agreements over their children, ages 5 and 9, according to documents obtained by the Tri City Herald. Huizar's 17-year-old girlfriend, identified by relatives as Angelica Santos, also was found lifeless minutes away from the school as police searched for the suspect, the New York Post reports.
Santos, the mother of the 1-year-old abducted by Huizar, was reported to have been impregnated at the age of 15. Rodriguez requested a protection order from Huizar following their 2020 divorce amid fears for the safety of herself and her kids, whose whereabouts at the time of her death wasn't immediately made clear.
Rodriguez claimed that Huizar, who she said was armed, had harassed her since their divorce and a hearing was set for May 14. Huizar was scheduled to appear in court Monday due to the inappropriate relationship with the second victim, as well as allegedly raping one of her teenage friends, according to court documents.
Huizar was previously arrested after his 17-year-old girlfriend reported him to police following an alleged attack on her 16-year-old friend who was spending the night with them. Huizar and the underage girlfriend were reported to have shared a 9-month-old baby at the time of his initial court appearance in February, at which point he was charged with second-degree rape, furnishing alcohol to minors and third-degree rape stemming from his relationship with the teenager.
Huizar's bail was set at $200,000 and he was released on the condition that he was prohibited from having contact with either girl or consuming alcohol. Huizar had previously served as a police officer from 2014 to 2022, which included working at Washington Middle School in Yakima during his tenure.