Madera kidnapping suspect had a history, police say
MADERA, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – The suspect in the kidnapping and carjacking of a woman in Madera had a history of committing a similar crime in 1997, according to officials.
Police say it happened around 1:30 in the afternoon off the corner of L Street and Yosemite Avenue.
Officers say the suspect, 54-year-old Otis Mckinzy, kidnapped a woman outside her home and sexually assaulted her. He then drove her to Modesto, where she was able to escape.
Suspect did not know victim in Madera kidnapping, sexual assault, police say
Mckenzy was arrested on Wednesday night by Elk Grove police and has since been transported to the Madera County Jail.
Police say the two didn’t know each other, so they don’t know why she was taken. But records show the suspect has done this before.
“You are looking for what the survivor could have done to prevent this and there’s nothing the survivor could have done at the time,” said Madera Police Chief Giachino Chiaramonte, specifically calling the woman a survivor – not a victim.
At the time of the kidnapping, investigators say McKenzy had been living out of his car after registering with the Madera Police Department as a sex offender. He was convicted of rape in 1997 and spent 24 years behind bars before being released in 2021.
“He put a sharp object into her it didn’t penetrate but he used it as a threat mechanism and ordered her into the vehicle at which time he physically assaulted,” said Chiaramonte.
Investigators say Mckinzy then drove North with the woman in the trunk of her car before pulling over in a field near Merced where officers say he raped her.
Detective says four hours later Mckenzy drove to Modesto with the woman now in the passenger seat.
Officers say they drove to a bank where Mckenzy was going to force her to take out money.
“As he exited the vehicle she exited the vehicle and was able to escape. She sprinted to a local fast food restaurant where good samaritans assisted her,” said Chiaramonte.
Police say Mckinzy then ran away and was later arrested by Elk Grove Police Department at around 11 p.m. on Wednesday.