Arizona Man Accused of Kidnapping Elderly Woman and Murdering Boyfriend

Rynn Prairie-Rocca was arrested on Jan. 4, according to the Cochise County Sheriff’s Office.

COCHISE COUNTY, Ariz. — A man has been taken into custody following the kidnapping of a 75-year-old woman and the subsequent death of her 67-year-old boyfriend. The apprehension was confirmed by the Cochise County Sheriff’s Department.

The incident began on the evening of January 3, when a woman reported her kidnapping in Pearce. She described how a man, donning a ski mask and dark clothing, entered her workshop around 3 p.m., brandishing a handgun and forcing her into the house, where he restrained and blindfolded her.

Shortly after, the woman heard several loud noises but was unsure of what transpired. Once it became dark, the suspect reportedly transported her to the backseat of her own car. In a moment of opportunity, she managed to free herself from her restraints and fled to a nearby residence for help.

She noted that the suspect had entered a local Dollar General store. When she contacted the sheriff’s office, she requested that her boyfriend be informed of her hospital visit for minor injuries. The boyfriend, who was expected to be at her house, was later discovered deceased by deputies.

Rynn Prairie-Rocca, 37, emerged as the identified suspect in this case. He was arrested on Saturday following a barricade situation near Catclaw Road and Highway 181 in Pearce. Prairie-Rocca has since been booked into the Cochise County Jail.