Mexican Man Sentenced for Violent Kidnapping of Omaha Woman

United States Attorney Joe Kelly announced that Luis Maria-Aguado, 33, was sentenced today in federal court in Omaha, Nebraska, for kidnapping.  Chief United States District Judge John M. Gerrard sentenced Maria-Aguado to 125 months’ imprisonment. There is no parole in the federal system.  After his release from prison, he will begin a 5-year term of supervised release. Maria-Aguado is a citizen of Mexico and will be deported at the completion of his prison term.

On the evening of April 12, 2019, Omaha Police Department (OPD) officers were dispatched to an Omaha address in response to a reported disturbance. Upon arrival, officers made contact with an Omaha woman (the victim) and her 17-year-old daughter. The victim and her daughter reported threats of violence from the victim’s estranged boyfriend, Maria-Aguado. The victim reported that she had ended her relationship with Maria-Aguado and he recently had moved out of her residence. The victim further reported that two days prior, on April 10, 2019, Maria-Aguado became upset with the victim during an argument at the home, grabbed her hair, and threatened to kill her. The victim provided investigators with threatening text messages from Maria-Aguado to her which included photos of mutilated men and bloodied torsos. On April 12, Maria-Aguado showed up at the victim’s residence and made entry through the basement after the victim locked the front door. The victim locked herself in a bathroom and called police when Maria-Aguado began to kick the bathroom door. Maria-Aguado left when she told him the police were coming to arrest him.

A few weeks later, on May 7, 2019, the victim’s employer contacted OPD seeking a well-being check of the victim since she had not appeared for work that day. OPD made contact with the victim’s daughter, who reported that she had not seen her mother since the prior night.

Investigators quickly located the victim’s car at the Planet Fitness parking lot and observed that her wallet and purse were still inside. They were able to obtain video surveillance footage from the Planet Fitness which showed the victim arrived and parked late on May 6. The surveillance footage showed the victim pulling into the lot in her car followed by a black Dodge Avenger. After several minutes elapsed, the victim got out of her car and got into the Avenger, which then exited the parking lot.

Detectives assigned to the OPD Missing Person’s Unit began gathering data from the victim’s and Maria-Aguado’s cell phones. Information obtained included a failed 911 call made on May 7, 2019, at 12:30 a.m. from the victim’s phone while located in the area of Lake Manawa in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Her phone was shut off thereafter. OPD detectives requested and obtained an emergency order for the collection of location data for Maria-Aguado’s cellular telephone. The location data showed that on May 7, 2019, the phone was located at the Lake Manawa State Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, areas of south Omaha, Nebraska, with continued movement south on Highway 75 near Bellevue, Nebraska, eventually traveling into Kansas. 

OPD investigators obtained an arrest warrant for terroristic threats for Maria-Aguado based on the report made by the victim on April 12, 2019. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Omaha Division and the OPD notified the FBI Kansas City Division Violent Crime Task Force of the kidnapping of the victim by Maria-Aguado, and provided the FBI Kansas City Division with the most recent cell phone location data. Based on the information provided, on May 7, 2019, at approximately 8:45 p.m., the FBI Kansas City Violent Crimes Task Force was able to locate the victim and Maria-Aguado outside of a Walmart store in Roeland Park, Kansas. Maria-Aguado was apprehended.

Investigators later determined that Maria-Aguado followed the victim to the Planet Fitness on the night of May 6, 2019. Maria-Aguado told her he would hurt her if she didn’t get into his car, so the victim complied. After she got into Maria-Aguado’s car, he drove her to a secluded area in Lake Manawa State Park in Council Bluffs, Iowa, where he threatened to kill her. He choked her when she screamed for help, and when she tried to run away Maria-Aguado pushed her to the ground and choked her with his hands. Maria-Aguado forced the victim back in his vehicle and told her to pray while threatening to kill her. The victim stated that Maria-Aguado attempted to strangle her with his belt while they were in his car. The victim later told investigators that Maria-Aguado’s plan was to take her to Mexico with him.

This case was investigated by Omaha Police Department and the Federal Bureau of Investigation Omaha Division, with assistance from the Federal Bureau of Investigation Kansas City Division Violent Crime Task Force.