Update on five women held hostage in South Austin apartment
AUSTIN, Texas - UPDATE: The Austin Police Department has arrested a third suspect, 20-year-old Emmanuel Grear.
Grear was arrested in Corpus Christi, Texas on Thursday, June 22, 2017.
Austin Police are releasing new details about the five women they said were held hostage at gunpoint, bound and most of them raped.
Two suspects have been arrested so far but now they need your help finding the other two.
APD wants you to keep an eye out for 20-year-old Emmanuel Grear. Police said he has been very mobile, which could include south of Austin and north of Austin. There are four warrants out for his arrest. He is described as a black male. The fourth suspect has not been identified yet.
Five young women were reportedly held hostage in a South Austin apartment. On Tuesday, Interim Chief Brian Manley addressed the situation, calling it "horrific."
"Although every sexual assault is horrific in its own way... this one to have five young women, four of which were brutally raped, occur, an incident like this in Austin... I don't have words for it," said Interim Chief Brian Manley, Austin Police Department.
Police responded to the Super 8 Motel in North Austin around 5 a.m. Friday for an armed robbery in progress. That's where one survivor had reportedly escaped her captors and called 911. Police say the young women were from out of town.
One of them had reportedly met 20-year-old Emmanuel Grear at the gas station asking for drugs. When it was time for the transaction, things took a scary turn. We spoke with Valeria Silva who lives nearby.
"I mean, you kind of see EMS and police cars out here a lot. So, it's not surprising as far as the area itself but it is surprising to hear something like that happening," says Valeria Silva, lives nearby.
Court documents state five young women were lured up to an apartment off Burton Drive, where they were reportedly held at gun point, bound and four of them raped. Police say the suspects then tried to get information to possibly rob other drug dealers.
"The suspects at this point, and I think this is why it's so important to realize the survivor mentality that these women had, not only were they being held at gun point, not only had they been bound and raped but they were being threatened by the suspects... that they were going to kill them," says Interim Chief Manley.
Surveillance video from the Super 8 captured the suspect vehicle. Police were able to track the license plate back to an address, where they found two of the suspects. 23-year-old Demetri Rogers is charged with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery. 19-year-old Christopher Jaramillo is also being held on those two charges, plus aggravated sexual assault and driving under the influence.
"Had we not had the presence in mind of these survivors, to get as much information as they could and to get us there and to get this license plate and find this address, we would not have been able to advance this case as quickly as we could," says Interim Chief Manley.
Interim Chief Manley says this case will be prioritized. The DNA labs they contract with are already aware that evidence is coming. They hope to move this case toward a quick resolution.