Full Notification

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office is releasing details regarding the kidnapping case involving 55-year-old Virginia Paris and 52-year-old Joseph Hetzel of Lompoc. After three days of being held against her will, we are grateful that the victim is safe and that the perpetrator is in custody. This dynamic case involved teams of Sheriff’s detectives and law enforcement agencies across three states as well as participation from the public and the media in order to locate Paris and Hetzel.

Due to the need to find the victim as quickly as possible, the Sheriff’s Office dedicated a large number of detectives to this case. Detectives traveled to Nevada and Arizona to conduct follow up investigation and attempt to locate Hetzel while simultaneously, detectives in both Santa Barbara County and Arizona continued to follow up on additional leads and collect evidence. While the investigation is ongoing, the Sheriff’s Office is able to release some details of the events that occurred over the past four days.

The investigation reveals that on September 1, 2017, at approximately 6:30 p.m. Hetzel followed Paris in her vehicle after she left work in the City of Solvang. She pulls over in the 1600 block of Mission Drive and the two get into a verbal dispute. When she tries to leave, the suspect forces his way into her vehicle. He takes over driving her car and heads southbound on Highway 101. The victim texts a family member for help who then calls the Sheriff’s Office. When a deputy calls the victim’s phone, she answers and indicates she is in trouble and needs help. The suspect then takes the phone away from the victim.

The investigation reveals during the kidnap, the victim lived in constant fear of the suspect and anytime the couple was in a public setting, the suspect kept physical control of the victim. The suspect eventually makes it to the town of Goodyear, Arizona stopping at a Starbucks at approximately 7:15 a.m. on September 3, 2017. The victim uses an opportunity at the coffee shop where the suspect is not in physical control of her to tell a customer she needs help. During this exchange, the suspect grabs her and physically removes her from Starbucks. He forces her into the vehicle while she is actively resisting. A witness attempts to follow the vehicle but gives up when the suspect runs a red light. The witness sees the victim throw her registration out of the vehicle. Goodyear Police Officers immediately respond and notify the Sheriff’s Office of the sighting of the victim and suspect.

The suspect continues to drive Paris’ vehicle and on September 3, 2017, they eventually stop at the Grand Canyon Inn in Valle, Arizona. The suspect does not let the victim leave the room and keeps physical control of the victim. At checkout on Monday, September 4, 2017, the victim had a moment where she was not physically close to the suspect. She uses the opportunity to tell the clerk that she is a kidnapping victim. She requests the clerk to call law enforcement and reveals that they may be headed to Las Vegas.

They make their way to the Las Vegas area. On Monday evening, September 4, 2017, he agrees to allow the victim to use a cell phone and call her children. Paris places two calls to a family member and indicates that she is in the Henderson area. The family member immediately calls the Sheriff’s Office. The victim is able to gain the suspect’s confidence that she will not try to escape and will rent a hotel room for the night. While the suspect is parking the vehicle, Paris walks into the Railroad Pass Hotel and Casino and immediately notifies hotel staff that she is a kidnapping victim and needs help. Casino security take the victim to a safe location. Henderson Police Officers respond but the suspect has already fled the area. At approximately 2:30 a.m. on September 5, 2017, Paris’ black Chrysler sedan, is located in a residential area in Mesquite, Nevada.

Late yesterday afternoon, Sheriff’s detectives received information that Hetzel had returned to the greater Las Vegas/Henderson area. Investigators continued to follow up leads which led them to Dotty’s Lounge located in the 100 block of E. Bruner in Las Vegas. The Henderson Police Department working with Sheriff’s detectives, located a stolen vehicle taken from Mesquite in the parking lot. Henderson Police Officers located Hetzel inside just before 6 p.m. and took him into custody without incident.

Hetzel is booked at the Henderson Detention Center in Nevada on charges of carjacking and kidnapping with bail set at one million dollars. The Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office will seek his extradition back to California.

The Sheriff’s Office wants to take this opportunity to recognize the public’s assistance during this investigation which helped lead to a successful rescue of the victim and apprehension of the suspect. From the witnesses who listened, got involved and called their local law enforcement, to the local friends and family who provided critical information to law enforcement, to the many members of the public that were looking for Paris’ vehicle and providing tips. Thanks also to the media who helped get important information out along the way.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to extend our appreciation to the many agencies that committed resources and time to this kidnapping case. We would especially like to thank the Goodyear Police Department, Mesquite Police Department, Henderson Police Department, Chino Police Department, California Highway Patrol, Nevada Highway Patrol, Arizona Department of Public Safety, Coconino Sheriff’s Office, San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Office, Ventura County Sheriff’s Office, the FBI Criminal Apprehension Team and the many others who assisted in this case.

This case exemplifies the community and law enforcement partnership in both Santa Barbara County and other communities across three states who worked together to bring Virginia Paris home safely and to locate the suspect, Joseph Hetzel.

The booking photo is courtesy of the Henderson Police Department