PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. – UPDATE:
This all started back on March 21, 2016, when Najera’s husband Ruperto Escalante made a call to the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.
Court documents say the call was to report that his wife had left him for another man, due to the nature of the call, no report was filed.
There was no case until October 2022, when the office received a call from a Colorado woman, wanting to know the status of her sister, Najera’s missing persons investigation.
That’s where the investigation began, eight different agencies were involved and court documents say they interviewed Escalante multiple times.
But Monday, police searched the home and property the couple shared. They arrested Escalante Wednesday where according to court documents, he admitted to helping another person duct tape Najera’s hands and eyes.
He says he then helped force her into a vehicle, where she was taken to a field in Pittsylvania County and intentionally murdered and buried.
Escalante is charged with one count of first-degree murder and one count of abduction and kidnapping and is being held without bond.
10 News reached out to Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Haskins who said Escalante had his first court appearance Thursday where he was appointed an attorney.
This is a developing story and stay with 10 News for updates.
UPDATE
A man has been arrested and is facing felony charges for the abduction and murder of a missing woman, according to the Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office.
On Wednesday, deputies arrested 56-year-old Ruperto V. Escalante near his residence on Moorefield Bridge Road in Danville, Virginia following a search warrant.
He has been charged with one count of abduction and kidnapping, a class 5 Felony, punishable for a term of imprisonment of not less than one year nor more than 10 years. He has also been charged with one count of first-degree murder, a Class 2 felony, punishable by imprisonment for 20 years to life and a fine of up to $100,000.
Authorities said Escalante is being held without bond in the Pittsylvania County Jail.
His first court appearance is slated for Thursday at 8:30 AM in Pittsylvania County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court.
ORIGINAL STORY
A search warrant was executed at a residence and a business located on Moorefield Bridge Road in furtherance of an ongoing missing persons investigation of Soledad Najera, The Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office said Monday.
Najera has been missing since March 21, 2016 and the PCSO said that it hoped that the search by law enforcement would help identity any evidence that may lead investigators to the whereabouts of Najera.
According to authorities Najera is originally from Durango, Mexico and attended the Sacred Heart Catholic.
Multiple agencies are involved in this investigation, including:
- The FBI
- Virginia State Police
- Danville Police Department
- Pittsylvania County Sheriff’s Office
- Pittsylvania Commonwealth’s Attorney’s Office
- Pittsylvania County Public Safety
- Virginia Department of Corrections
- Virginia Department of Emergency Management
If you have any information on this investigation or the whereabouts of Soledad, please contact Investigator Chaney at 434-432-7840, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-791-0044.