UPDATE (1:00 p.m.)
The suspect is in custody according to the Cochise County Sheriff's Office.
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COCHISE COUNTY, Ariz. (KGUN) - The Cochise County Sheriff's Office has announced a barricade situation near Catclaw and Highway 181 is underway after the death of a 67-year-old man related to the kidnapping of a 75-year-old female.
At around 8:10 p.m. on January 3, deputies responded to a report of a 75-year-old woman who had escaped after being kidnapped earlier in the day.
The woman told deputies that she had been in her workshop at her residence around 3:00 p.m. when a masked man dressed in dark clothing entered, pointed a handgun at her, and forced her into the home.
She was restrained, blindfolded, and later moved into her own vehicle, a 2007 silver Chevy Avalanche, which the suspect drove to an unknown location.
The woman managed to free herself and fled to a nearby residence for help.
She informed deputies that her "boyfriend" was likely still at their home and requested they contact him. When deputies arrived, they discovered the man had been killed.
Investigators have identified 37-year-old Rynn Prairie-Rocca as a person of interest in the case. Officials said he could have been traveling with a large dog and was believed to be driving the victim’s vehicle, which had significant damage on the passenger side.
The investigation has since led to a barricade situation near Catclaw and Highway 181, where residents have been ordered to shelter in place. Authorities are actively working to resolve the situation and are asking the public to avoid the area.
This is an ongoing investigation, and further details will be released as they become available.
