Home San Antonio Press Releases 2009 8-Year-Old Kidnap Victim Recovered Safely
Info
This is archived material from the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) website. It may contain outdated information and links may no longer function.

8-Year-Old Kidnap Victim Recovered Safely

FBI San Antonio April 23, 2009
  • Special Agent Michelle Lee (210) 650-6333

Ralph G. Diaz, Special Agent in Charge (SAC) of the San Antonio Office of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), whose territory includes McAllen, TX, announced today that the FBI, Texas Department of Public Safety (TDPS) Narcotics Service, the Chautauqua County New York Sheriff’s Office, and the Attorney General’s Office in Matamoros, Mexico, cooperatively conducted an investigation which resulted in the safe recovery of 8-year-old R.J. Meyers, a United States citizen kidnapped from her Jamestown, New York, home in January 2007.

On January 26, 2007, 8-year-old R.J. Meyers was kidnapped in Jamestown, New York, by her aunt, 62 year old Linda Wynn, and Winn’s associate, 39 year old William Arthur Amacher. Immediately following the incident, the FBI in Buffalo, New York initiated a joint kidnapping investigation with the Chautauqua County New York Sheriff’s Office, resulting in federal kidnapping warrants being issued for Wynn and Amachar. During the past two years, numerous leads have been pursued throughout the United States and Mexico which have been unsuccessful in locating R.J. However, late last week, the TDPS Narcotics Service developed information which quickly led to a possible location for R.J. and her abductors.  Through close coordination between the FBI, TDPS, and the Attorney General’s Office in Matamoros, Mexico, R.J. was located and recovered safely in Matamoros, Mexico along with her abductors, Wynn and Amacher. R.J. was reunited with her mother late last night, and Wynn and Amacher were turned over to the FBI for further processing and return to Buffalo, New York, where they will face prosecution for kidnapping.

The successful and safe recovery of R.J. was a direct result of the close cooperation between the TDPS Narcotics Service, the Chautauqua County New York Sheriff’s Office, the Attorney General’s Office in Matamoros, Mexico, the Mexican Consulate in San Antonio, Texas, and the FBI. 

Any further questions may be directed to Special Agent (SA) Erik Vasys at the below listed contact numbers.