Indiana police are searching for a man accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a young woman on Saturday, after she pulled over in a rural area to check on a flat tire.
Journal & Courier reports that the suspect has been identified as Paul A. Etter, 55, according to Sheriff Bob Goldsmith, of the the Tippecanoe County Sheriff’s Office. Goldsmith said Etter stopped to help the woman, who’s in her 20s, after she pulled over in Tippecanoe County on Saturday afternoon.
Instead of assisting the woman, Etter allegedly abducted her, dragged into a remote area off of the 700 block of South Tippecanoe County Road 775 East, and sexually assaulted her. The victim escaped once, but police said Etter caught her and confined her again. He later dropped her off at her residence. She promptly called 911.
Drones, police dogs, and officers have been searching for the suspect but as of Monday morning, he remains on the run.
According to News 18, Etter may have left a message on the outlet’s social media page. Police haven’t confirmed whether it was truly Etter who left the comment, but WLFI reporter Anna Darling indicated that authorities are taking the comment “seriously and investigating it.”
#BREAKING #UPDATE It appears that Paul Etter, the kidnapping suspect police have been searching for since Saturday afternoon, left a comment on our web story…👇🏻@WLFI pic.twitter.com/bC5Y4ICizZ
— Anna Darling (@AnnaDarlingTV) June 23, 2019
Meanwhile, the sheriff’s office warned residents in the area of eastern rural Tippecanoe County to leave their doors closed and locked.
Etter is described as a white male who stands 5-feet-9-inches tall and weighs around 170 pounds. He’s considered armed and dangerous.
“We have a heavy presence in this area,” Goldsmith said. “We’re still taking phone calls, talking with people. So, it’s just staying connected with the community and letting them know ‘hey we’re out here, we’re doing everything we possibly can to keep you safe.'”
Anyone with information is urged to call the sheriff’s office at 765-423-9321.
The story continues to develop. Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
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[Feature Photo: Paul Etter/Police Handout]
