West Richland, Washington – A former police officer suspected of murdering two women and abducting a 1-year-old child was found in Oregon with a self-inflicted gunshot wound, authorities said. The suspect, 40-year-old Elias Huizar, fled the scene of a deadly shooting at an elementary school in West Richland. Huizar was discovered driving south on Interstate 5 near Eugene, where he sustained the self-inflicted gunshot wound after a pursuit by Oregon State Patrol.
The 1-year-old child, Roman Santos, was safely taken into custody by state troopers. Huizar was seen driving a black sedan overnight Monday into Tuesday, according to West Richland police. The tip came from police in Portland, Oregon. On Monday, Huizar allegedly shot one woman dead outside William Wiley Elementary School before authorities found another homicide victim at his home.
Washington State Patrol issued an Amber Alert for Huizar’s ex-wife and girlfriend, extending the alert from Washington to Oregon. The person found dead in Huizar’s home was identified as a known associate of the suspect. Huizar previously worked as a police officer in Yakima and was accused of sexual assault and rape earlier this year. Authorities believed Huizar was attempting to flee to Mexico with the abducted child.
Police warned the public that Huizar was likely to commit more crimes and described Roman Huizar as a 1-year-old with brown hair and eyes. The child’s relationship to Elias Huizar was not explicitly noted. The Benton County Prosecutor’s Office handled the rape charges against Huizar. Police urged the public to help locate the suspect and the child, emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.