Tracking App Used to Find Kidnapping Victim in Walla Walla

A man faces serious charges after Walla Walla Police say he kidnapped an 18-year-old woman at the city’s fireworks display.

Investigators responding to a report of a man with a gun say the suspect forced the woman into a car and brought her to a home in the area of Tausick Way and Reservoir Road.

"The officers worked with friends and family of the victim to track her iPhone using the Find My iPhone app and they were able to pinpoint her exact location." Police Sergeant Nick Loudermilk said.

When officers arrived at the location, Sergeant Loudermilk says they could see her through a basement window in distress and calling out for help.

"Officers breached the basement window to offer her some protection until another team could get to her through the house. And she was rescued a short time later."

Sergeant Loudermilk says the suspect, Josiah Tiscareno, fled while the rescue was taking place but eventually surrendered.

The 18-year-old was booked into the Walla Walla County Jail on charges of kidnapping first degree domestic violence and assault second degree domestic violence.

The victim did not require a trip to the hospital.

Laudermilk says both the victim and Tiscareno were in a relationship before the kidnapping.

With so many kidnapping and missing persons cases, the first 24 hours of the investigation is crucial.

In this case, the outcome may have turned for the worse without technology used by the common cell phone user.

"Finding her so fast was absolutely a credit to the Find My iPhone app. If we hadn't had that, we wouldn't have been able to go directly to the house where she was being held." Sergeant Loudermilk added.