A Texas man, Alek Isaiah Collins, is indicted of kidnapping a 10-month-old girl from a New Mexico park after badly firing her mom and another woman.
Federal investigators reported that Collins had previously threatened to "start killing people and children."
Texas Man Previously Threatened To Start Killing People and Children
Collins had made two threatening calls to the FBI last year, resulting in a mental health assessment. As a result, he was restricted from buying a firearm in Texas, and an alert was set up to inform law enforcement if he attempted to purchase one.
On May 6, Collins was arrested in Abilene, Texas, for the killings and kidnapping at Ned Houk Park near Clovis, New Mexico. On May 3, authorities discovered the bodies of Samantha Cisneros and Taryn Allen near a silver Dodge minivan at the park.
Cisneros' 5-year-old daughter was found with a gunshot wound and taken to the hospital, while her 10-month-old daughter, Eleia Maria Torres, was missing, prompting an Amber Alert.
Eleia was found safe with Collins in Abilene. Collins faces federal charges of interstate kidnapping and state liability of first-degree killing, child abuse, and kidnapping.
Collins supposedly contacted the FBI in 2023, demanding assistance in finding his missing 5-year-old daughter and making threats. He was subjected to mental health assessments, and during interviews, he claimed he made threats to get help in finding his daughter.
According to a federal complaint, Cisneros and Allen were shot numerous times, and it appeared Cisneros was struck by a vehicle.
Investigators found a maroon vehicle's side-view mirror cover at the scene, linking it to a maroon Honda rented by Collins. GPS data and surveillance placed the car near the park before the killings and tracked it traveling rapidly from Clovis to Abilene post-shooting.
Collins was eventually apprehended after attempting to flee in an Uber he hijacked at gunpoint. Authorities have not established a motive for the shootings and kidnapping and believe Collins was not related to the victims.
Suspect Desperate in Search for Missing Child
Investigators learned that Cisneros was the mother of the injured child and the missing infant. Multiple law enforcement agencies collaborated to identify Collins as a suspect within hours of the shooting using cell phone tower data, security videos, and witness statements.
The GPS on Collins' rented vehicle led investigators to a home in Abilene, where they saw him leave the house carrying the baby and attempt to carjack a driver at gunpoint. Collins was quickly arrested, and the baby was rescued.
Collins admitted to taking the child but denied shooting anyone. Investigators found no link between Collins and the victims. However, FBI agents discovered phone messages from October in which Collins threatened to kill people, including children, if the agency didn't help him find his missing child.
A month earlier, Collins made a similar threat and was taken into custody in Brazoria County for a mental health evaluation, which concluded with a prohibition on purchasing firearms.
It is unclear how he obtained the weapon found during his arrest. New Mexico's Ninth Judicial District officials plan to file a motion to extradite Collins from Texas.
