Recent reports out of central Washington detail a manhunt underway for a suspect accused of heinous crimes. Authorities are on the lookout for 40-year-old Elias Huizar, a former police officer who is alleged to have murdered two women and abducted a 1-year-old child before fleeing the scene. Huizar is considered armed and dangerous, prompting a sense of urgency in the search efforts.
According to updates shared by the West Richland Police Department on social media, Huizar was last seen driving a black sedan in the overnight hours from Monday to Tuesday. The tip regarding his whereabouts came from law enforcement in Portland, Oregon, adding a multi-state dimension to the pursuit.
The series of events began with a deadly shooting outside William Wiley Elementary School, where one woman lost her life at the hands of the suspect. Subsequent investigations led authorities to Huizar's residence, where another victim was tragically discovered. The developments have shaken the community and spurred a collaborative effort to bring Huizar to justice.
The victims in this tragic incident were identified as Huizar's ex-wife and girlfriend, as stated in an Amber Alert issued by Washington State Patrol on behalf of West Richland police at around 9:45 p.m. on Monday night. The alert extends from Washington to Oregon. While Richland Police did not disclose the identities of the victims in their official statements, they did mention that the individual found deceased in Huizar's residence "is a known associate of the suspect."
Prior to this incident, Huizar served as a police officer in Yakima, located approximately an hour away from West Richland by car, as reported by CBS affiliate KIRO. His tenure with the police department spanned from 2014 to 2022. Earlier this year, Huizar was accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl in Yakima and was charged with second-degree rape and providing alcohol to minors, according to KEPR, another CBS affiliate in the region. Additionally, Huizar is facing a third-degree rape charge for allegedly engaging in an intimate relationship with a girl who is now 17 years old over the course of several years, as reported by the news station.
CBS reached out to the Benton County Prosecutor's Office, where the rape charges against Huizar were filed, for further details but did not receive an immediate response.
The Amber Alert has been extended from Washington into Oregon by the West Richland police department. They suspect that Huizar is on his way to Mexico with the abducted child. Initially, the public was informed about a silver 2009 Toyota Corolla with Washington state license plates, which Huizar used to escape after the school shooting. The alert was issued for the apparent abduction of 1-year-old Roman Huizar, described as 2 feet tall with brown hair and brown eyes. The relationship between the child and Elias Huizar was not explicitly stated.
Authorities have requested assistance in locating the suspect, as they believe he may engage in further criminal activities. Huizar is described as 5 feet 6 inches tall with brown hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing a black hat, a black long-sleeved shirt, light blue jeans, and black shoes. The Amber Alert includes photographs of both Huizar and the 1-year-old child.
If anyone spots Huizar's vehicle, they are advised to immediately call 911 and refer to the West Richland homicide case. The license plate number of the vehicle is CBZ4745.
