Kidnap victim released; one still being held
By Gary Popp
Published in News on January 31, 2012 1:52 PM
One of the two Goldsboro men kidnapped at gunpoint by six masked men Sunday night has been released.
Israil Aguirre, 24, was set free Monday morning, Wayne County Sheriff's Office deputies said.
Geniro Jamis, 48, is still being held by the suspects, who are described as five Hispanics and one white male.
The two men were forced out of the vehicle they were riding in around 10:30 p.m. on Leonard Drive, off East New Hope Road, after the suspects posed as law enforcement officers by using a blue, yellow and red light to pull over the victims' vehicle.
Maj. Tom Effler said Aguirre has been very cooperative with investigators since he was released, but the amount of resourceful information he has provided has been limited up to this point.
"He is giving us things to check out, but nothing absolute," Effler said of Aguirre.
Effler said Aguirre is confused by the incident, adding that he could not confirm the location where he was released by the suspects.
It also remains unclear why the suspects would have released Aguirre and not Jamis, Effler said.
"We don't know if it is gang-related, drug-related or a random robbery," Effler said of the kidnapping.
He added that investigators believe the suspects intentionally targeted the two men.
"We think there is a reason that these guys were picked up," Effler said.
Effler declined to comment on whether or not Aguirre knows the identification of the suspects.
During the incident, the men were forced into a white SUV, possibly a Ford Expedition, driven by the suspects.
Relatives of Aguirre and Jamis in the vehicle at the time of the kidnapping reported the incident to authorities Sunday.
Both Aguirre and Jamis are believed to reside in the 100 block of D & W Circle, near where they were pulled over.
The investigation is continuing.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wayne County Sheriff's Office at 731-1481 or Wayne County Crime Stoppers at 735-2255.