The former Yakima, Washington police officer who was on the run from law enforcement in connection to the murder of two women and abduction of a 1-year-old boy was tracked down in Oregon last Tuesday but took his own life before police could take him into custody.
West Richland Police identified 39-year-old Elias Huizar as a person of interest in the April 22 murder of his ex-wife Amber Rodriguez, who was fatally shot outside of Wiley Elementary School where she worked as a substitute teacher.
A search warrant was served at Huizar’s residence where police discovered the body of a second woman identified only as his girlfriend.
Washington State Patrol launched a statewide manhunt for the suspect who was scheduled to appear in court that day on child rape charges related to an incident in February.
State Patrol also issued an Amber Alert for Huizar’s 1-year-old son Roman who they believed the suspect abducted when he went on the run.
West Richland Police, who believed that Huizar would attempt to flee to Mexico, reported last Tuesday that he had been spotted in Portland, Oregon. Later that day, the police announced that the Oregon State Patrol located Huizar on Interstate 5 not far from Eugene.
State Patrol engaged in a high-speed pursuit of the suspect that ended after about 25 miles when the vehicle driven by Huizar crashed into a commercial vehicle along the side of the interstate.
When troopers attempted to take Huizar into custody, he shot himself in the head, taking his own life.
Huizar’s son was uninjured in the crash. Troopers took the child safely into custody.
Elias Huizar was expected in court last Monday in connection to a February incident in which he was accused of raping the 16-year-old friend of his girlfriend.
According to court documents, Huizar and the two girls spent the night drinking at his home. After the girls fell asleep, he allegedly attempted to rape the 16-year-old. His 17-year-old girlfriend woke up and stopped him before the two girls fled in Huizar’s vehicle.
While the second victim discovered in Huizar’s home was not identified by police, it is suspected that she was the 17-year-old girlfriend named in the criminal complaint. Huizar met her while working as a school resource officer in the girl’s middle school when she was only 11. She was the mother of Huizr’s 1-year-old son.
