Man wanted for kidnapping & robbing woman in 2022 extradited from Panama

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AUSTIN, Texas - A man who was wanted in connection with the kidnapping and robbing of a woman in East Austin is now back in the United States.

The backstory:

Brayan Estiven Rios, 29, was wanted by Austin police for a robbery that occurred July 19, 2022.

In April 2024, the Lone Star Fugitive Task Force, U.S. Department of Justice’s Office of International Affairs, and the Travis County District Attorney’s Office worked together to facilitate the extradition of Rios, who was intercepted by officials in Panama.

On May 22, Panamanian officials transferred Rios to the USMS for extradition back to the United States. 

Rios was taken and booked into the Travis County Jail upon arrival in Austin and he awaits further judicial procceedings.

What Happened:

Woman kidnapped, robbed in East Austin, police looking for suspects

The suspects were driving a blue 2019 Ford Escape with an unknown license plate.

On July 19, 2022, APD says that around 11:45 a.m. an older woman told officers she was walking around her neighborhood when a man and a woman approached her in the 2300 block of Francisco Street.

The woman told her she had a gun and both of them forced the victim into a vehicle, demanding a large amount of money. When the victim tried to leave the vehicle, the man pointed a handgun at her and ordered her to stay inside the vehicle.

The suspects then took the victim to her bank and forced her to withdraw a large amount of money, then used her bank card at an ATM. The suspects then took her to a business where the female suspect forced her to use her credit cards to purchase expensive items while the man waited in the vehicle.

Finally, the suspects dropped the victim off in the middle of the street at another location and fled the area.