Roommates of Oregon kidnapping suspect say they knew nothing about the crime

One roommate was mid-shower when police blasted through the door. Another was close enough to hear the raid unfold. Neither, they say, had any idea that a bound 10-year-old girl was hidden in a closet inside their Oregon City home — placed there, authorities allege, by the man who rented a room from them.

Vince Edgar Chavez, 35, was arrested Wednesday afternoon at the Pleasant Avenue residence after a 13-hour search for a girl who had been snatched from her family's apartment in Canby, Oregon, in the early hours of the morning. The U.S. Marshals Service said officers found the child tied up in a closet. Authorities took her to a medical facility, where she received treatment for injuries and underwent further evaluation.

I have great news. We found her safe and alive.— Jose Gonzalez, Canby Police Chief

A charging document filed Thursday lists first-degree kidnapping, multiple sex crimes, assault, and burglary among the counts Chavez faces. Prosecutors also brought charges of attempted first-degree murder, first-degree assault, and unlawful use of a weapon stemming from an attack on the younger girl's 12-year-old sister, whom authorities say Chavez hit with a hammer before leaving the apartment with the younger child.

Speaking off camera to KATU, Chavez's roommate said he had been in the shower when police forced entry. He said Chavez had shown no prior concerning behavior and described himself as devastated and disgusted upon learning what police accuse his housemate of doing. Reporting indicates the roommate expressed being haunted by the discovery.

The sequence of events began at approximately 1:39 a.m. Wednesday, when an intruder entered the family's apartment at the Orchards complex in Canby. The girl's mother called 911, according to Owen, and officers responded at 1:47 a.m. A police radio transmission captured through Broadcastify described the initial report: the attacker had allegedly struck a 12-year-old in the head with a hammer and may have left with a 10-year-old.

At a news conference, Owen said investigators found no evidence of forced entry at the Canby apartment and acknowledged 'a bit of a connection' between Chavez and the victim's family, while declining to elaborate or identify a motive. Investigators identified a suspect vehicle, which Owen called 'paramount in this investigation,' and also tracked Chavez's phone, which led them to the Oregon City address.

A SWAT team surrounded the Pleasant Avenue home. As officers entered, Chavez attempted to escape through the rear of the house but was arrested without further incident, the U.S. Marshals Service said. Two other people at the residence were detained but are not expected to face charges, according to Owen, who said Chavez rented a room there and lived alone in it.

A neighbor who recorded video of police bringing the girl out of the home said she initially did not realize who the child was. She had heard a loud noise and her father had told her to get away from windows and doors before she began filming.

I feel bad for videotaping it because I was like catching this moment, and I didn't really think about that until it was over. I feel so bad for this child, this little girl.— Neighbor (name not given)

A second neighbor, Tuesday Bellingham, spoke on camera but requested that her face not be filmed, and she recounted what she witnessed as the rescue took place.

I just was shaking. I couldn't hardly believe it. I was glad that she, I saw her walk out, so I knew she could walk and was alive.— Tuesday Bellingham, neighbor

Gonzalez, visibly emotional at Wednesday's news conference, credited the multi-agency response — which included local and state authorities as well as the FBI — with making the outcome possible.

Without their help, it would have been impossible for us to find her well and alive today.— Jose Gonzalez, Canby Police Chief

As a parent, I was anxious and I wanted to get it resolved, and I'm so glad that we found her alive and well.— Jose Gonzalez, Canby Police Chief

The Canby School District said it would post an increased police presence at Carus Elementary School, where the girl is a student, at Wednesday's dismissal as a precaution. The city of Canby sits roughly 25 miles south of downtown Portland.

Key questions remain unanswered publicly: police have not explained how Chavez entered the apartment without leaving signs of forced entry, what the 'connection' to the family entails, or what happened to the girl during the roughly 13 hours between her abduction and her rescue. The case is ongoing and no trial date has been reported.

Why it matters — The case raises urgent questions about how a suspect with an apparent connection to a family could enter their home without forced entry, assault two children, and hide one nearby for 13 hours without those around him noticing — questions investigators have yet to answer publicly.

Reported by abcnews.com, people.com, abc45.com