LUBBOCK, Texas– Two suspects were arrested this week in Arizona in connection with an aggravated robbery case in Lubbock
On January 27, Lubbock Police with assistance from the U.S. Marshals and Park Rangers identified, located, and arrested Dakota Valderas, 23, and Damian Villareal, 25.
Related Story: Who is kidnapping suspect Damian Ray Villarreal and why do many of you recognize his name?
A police report said on January 11 Ryan Lara, 19, received a text message from Valderas asking him to meet her at an apartment in the 4600 block of 71st Street so she could give him a phone.
Valderas asked Lara to wait at the apartment while she retrieved the phone, said police.
Lara said Villareal rushed, punched, kicked and slammed him all over the apartment.
-lubbock police report
While at the apartment, Lara said he went to the restroom. When he came out from the restroom, Villareal was standing there and started beating him up, asking what Lara was doing there, according to a police report.
Lara said Villareal rushed, punched, kicked and slammed him all over the apartment, according to the report.
Additionally, two Hispanic males, who were not yet identified by police on Friday, entered the apartment and punched Lara multiple times every couple of minutes, according to the report.
Lara said each time he would attempt to make a signal for help, the three suspects would “pistol whip” him with a firearm.
-lubbock police report
After several hours, Villareal took Lara to his vehicle, placed a pillowcase over Lara’s head, and drove him to an additional location, said police.
When the vehicle stopped, Villareal took the tape off his eyes and pillowcase, the report said. Lara said he recognized they were on 19th street at the Wendy’s across from McDonald’s. Lara said each time he would attempt to make a signal for help, the three suspects would “pistol whip” him with a firearm, according to the report.
After spending some time at Wendy’s, Villareal blind folded Lara again and began driving possibly eastbound, according to the report. Lara said he felt like they were driving for awhile and he felt like they were possibly out of the city limits and well into the county, the report said.
Then, Lara said they parked the vehicle in a garage, took him out of the vehicle and into a house, according to the report.
Lara said he heard Valderas’ voice, but that she did not say anything to him. He said he knew Valderas was there at the house and that she set up the kidnapping, the report states.
Eventually, Lara said his hands broke free from the duct tape and he jumped out of the moving vehicle.
-lubbock police report
Several hours later, Villareal woke Lara up and put him back into the vehicle still blind folded and bound.
Eventually, Lara said his hands broke free from the duct tape and he jumped out of the moving vehicle, according to the report.
Someone stopped and picked Lara up on the side of the road near the Lowery Field House and took him to his father’s house, the report states. He was then taken to Covenant Medical Center to get medical treatment and file a police report.
Lara had scrapes all over, multiple lacerations on his head, face, back, black eyes and other various injuries, according to the report.
Through investigation, LPD Persons Crimes unit was able to identify and obtain aggravated kidnapping warrants for Valderas and Villareal.
Both Valderas and Villareal were held on a bond of $200,000 each.
The investigation into other individuals involved is ongoing.
In January 2017, Villareal was a suspect and was arrested in the aggravated robbery case at Picantes, located at 3814 34th Street.
RELATED STORY: One Suspect Caught, Two on the Loose After Picantes Robbery
This is a news release from the Lubbock Police Department:
(LUBBOCK, TX) – Lubbock Police Officers and Persons Crimes Detectives, with assistance from the U.S. Marshals and Park Rangers identified, located, and arrested two individuals Jan. 27 for their involvement in an aggravated kidnapping.
The victim, 19-year-old Ryan Lara received a text message from 23-year-old Dakota Valderas asking him to meet her at an apartment in the 4600 block of 71st Street so she could give him a phone. Upon arrival, Valderas asked Lara to wait at the apartment while she retrieved the phone.
While at the apartment, Lara was attacked by 25-year-old Damian Villareal, who bound Lara with duct tape. Additional individuals entered the apartment and beat Lara as well. After several hours, Villareal took Lara to his vehicle, placed a pillow case over Lara’s head, and drove him to an additional location.
After several more hours, Villareal moved Lara back into the vehicle still blind folded and bound. Eventually, Lara was able to break partially free from his bindings and he jumped out of the moving vehicle.
Someone stopped and picked Lara up from the roadway and took him to his father’s house. He was transported to Covenant Medical Center.
Through investigation, LPD Persons Crimes was able to identify and obtain aggravated kidnapping warrants for Valderas and Villareal. With assistance from U.S. Marshals and Park Rangers, they were located and arrested in a national forest in Arizona Jan. 27. Both Valderas and Villareal are held on a bond of $200,000 each. Villareal also had an additional warrant from an aggravated robbery in 2017.
The investigation into other individuals involved is ongoing.
