A woman who disappeared from Knoxville, Tennessee, on May 7, 2014 was rescued today in North Carolina. On Wednesday afternoon, May 7, 2014, the Knoxville Police Department received a report of a break-in, which quickly turned into a kidnapping investigation. Through an extremely well coordinated effort by FBI Charlotte, FBI Knoxville, the Knoxville Police Department, the McDowell County Sheriff’s Office, the Marion Police Department, the North Carolina Highway Patrol, and the McDowell County Office of Emergency Management, the victim was safely recovered at a rest stop off of I-40 near Marion, North Carolina, at approximately 6:40 a.m. today.

Dennis Smith, age 53, was taken into custody at the same location and is awaiting an initial appearance in federal court. It is anticipated that Smith will be brought back to the Eastern District of Tennessee to face charges.

The investigation is active and ongoing, and no additional details will be released at this time.

All defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.