Two men are in custody and facing serious charges after allegedly kidnapping, torturing, and attempting to kill a woman from Burien, Washington, in a harrowing case that spans multiple counties and involved assistance from the FBI.
Kevin Daniel Sanabria Ojeda, 24, and Alexander Moises Arnaez-Gutierrez, 25, have each been charged with kidnapping, robbery, and attempted murder in King County Superior Court.
According to court documents, the disturbing incident began on the night of January 21. As the victim returned to her Burien apartment from work, Sanabria and Arnaez-Gutierrez allegedly forced her into a vehicle, firing a gun during the abduction. Authorities say the men subjected the woman to brutal violence as they tried to access her phone and bank information.
Detectives with the King County Sheriff’s Office said the suspects used a power drill on the woman’s hand in an attempt to unlock her phone, then issued chilling threats. The victim was told she and her family would be killed, her body fed to bears, and dumped in a remote area.
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The suspects then drove east into Kittitas County. On a remote stretch near I-90, they allegedly shot her and left her for dead on a mountain pass.
Despite her injuries, the woman waited until her attackers left and then managed to climb over a barrier and flag down a passing driver. She was transported to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she shared her story with detectives.
According to her interview with police, the woman said she was struck in the shoulder after ducking during the shooting. She played dead, believing the assailants thought they had delivered a fatal shot.
The King County Sheriff’s Office brought in the FBI to assist in the case. Investigators quickly identified Sanabria’s vehicle and traced it to a motel in Illinois. Surveillance footage from the motel, along with video from the Washington abduction scene, helped connect Sanabria to the crime.
Sanabria was arrested in Illinois, where a search of his motel room uncovered jewelry belonging to the victim. After being read his rights, he allegedly admitted to participating in the kidnapping, robbery, and shooting.
Back in Washington, Arnaez-Gutierrez was taken into custody during a traffic stop by Mercer Island Police. Prosecutors said he poses a serious risk to the public and may have connections to the Tren de Aragua gang, a Venezuelan criminal organization with a growing presence in the U.S.
King County Senior Deputy Prosecuting Attorney Jennifer Phillips described the case as one involving “sophistication, planning, and extreme violence.”
Both men are currently being held in the King County Jail with bail set at $1 million each. Sanabria has already entered a not guilty plea during an earlier arraignment. Arnaez-Gutierrez is scheduled to be arraigned on April 24.
FBI Special Agent in Charge W. Mike Herrington commended the collaboration between local and federal law enforcement that led to the arrests, emphasizing the agency’s commitment to protecting the public from violent crimes of this nature.
