DEMING – New Mexico State Police say a kidnapped teenager from Texas was found safe Friday evening after license plate readers (LPRs) alerted officers to the suspect’s vehicle traveling west on Interstate 10.
At about 7:46 p.m., the system flagged a Volkswagen sedan tied to the disappearance of a 15-year-old girl. Troopers caught up with the vehicle near milepost 88. When they attempted a stop, the driver crossed the median and eastbound lanes before crashing into a water-filled ditch.
The suspect, 20-year-old Kyle Steven Eckmann, threatened officers by claiming he was armed, but police determined he was unarmed and took him into custody. He also ordered the girl with him not to speak with authorities.
The teenager was confirmed to be the missing girl and was placed under the care of New Mexico’s Children, Youth, and Families Department, which notified her parents.
Eckmann faces multiple charges, including first-degree kidnapping, aggravated assault on a peace officer, aggravated fleeing, child abuse, and witness intimidation.
\n