A man has been charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and sexual offences after a 10-year-old girl was rescued in Oregon and her 12-year-old sister was seriously assaulted.
Vince Edgar Chavez, 35, appeared before Clackamas County Circuit Court on Thursday 29 October 2026, one day after officers found the younger girl at a house in Oregon City. Prosecutors have brought ten felony counts. A judge ordered Chavez to be held without bail.
What we know
Canby Police said officers responded at about 1.47am local time on Wednesday 28 October to a reported abduction at an apartment complex in southeast Canby, south of Portland. Investigators said a man had entered an apartment at approximately 1.39am, assaulted a 12-year-old girl and taken her 10-year-old sister.
At about 2.45pm, nearly 13 hours after the reported abduction, officers located the younger child at a residence in nearby Oregon City. The US Marshals Service described finding her tied up inside a closet and said she was taken to a medical facility for treatment of injuries and further assessment. The separate account involving duct tape and a duffel bag comes from prosecutors’ report of remarks made at Chavez’s court hearing.
Her older sister was also taken to hospital. Authorities had not provided a detailed public update on her condition in the official statement issued on Thursday.
What prosecutors allege
Clackamas County prosecutors say Chavez allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted the 10-year-old girl, while her 12-year-old sister was allegedly attacked with a hammer. These allegations concern two different children. In its account of Thursday’s court hearing, the District Attorney’s Office said Chief Deputy District Attorney Chris Owen told the court that the older girl was struck repeatedly on the head and the younger child was found restrained with duct tape inside a duffel bag.
The District Attorney’s Office confirmed the following ten charges against Chavez:
- One count of first-degree attempted murder
- One count of first-degree assault
- One count of first-degree kidnapping
- One count of first-degree sexual abuse
- Two counts of first-degree sodomy
- One count of first-degree burglary
- One count of second-degree assault
- Two counts of unlawful use of a weapon
These are allegations before the court. None of the charges establishes guilt, and Chavez is presumed innocent unless proved guilty.
What police have said
The US Marshals Service said its Pacific Northwest Violent Offender Task Force worked with the Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team, Oregon City Police, other tactical officers and the FBI to locate the suspect. Officers entered the property as Chavez attempted to leave through the rear, according to the agency. He was arrested without further incident.
Canby Police Chief Jose Gonzalez confirmed on Wednesday that the child had been found alive. Although he described her rescue as good news, the Marshals Service subsequently confirmed that she was taken for medical care.
What we don’t know
Investigators have not publicly established a motive or fully explained whether Chavez knew the family. The full extent of the sisters’ injuries has not been disclosed in the official statements reviewed for this report. The investigation remains active.
Why was no Amber Alert issued?
An Amber Alert was not issued during the search. Canby Police told local news outlet KGW that investigators had not obtained the information needed to satisfy the alert criteria at that stage. The force did not specify which requirements were unmet, according to KGW’s reporting.
Oregon State Police sets out five requirements for issuing an Amber Alert: police must reasonably believe an abduction has occurred; the missing child must be 17 or younger; officers must believe the child faces imminent danger of serious harm or death; there must be enough descriptive information to help the public locate the child; and the required child-abduction and alert information must be entered into state and federal law-enforcement databases.
Authorities have not publicly identified which part of that process was not satisfied in this case. The absence of an alert should not be interpreted as evidence that the child was not in danger.
What happens next
Circuit Judge Jeffrey S. Jones granted prosecutors’ request to hold Chavez without bail at Clackamas County Jail. His next scheduled arraignment, on an indictment, is on 5 November 2026. The case reference is 26CR58780.
KATU News video report
Local broadcaster KATU News reported on the search, police operation and rescue. Its video coverage is available below.
Sources
- Clackamas County District Attorney, arraignment and charges, 29 October 2026
- US Marshals Service, arrest and rescue statement, 28 October 2026
- Canby Police Department statement, reproduced by Canby Chronicle, 28 October 2026
- KGW reporting on the Amber Alert decision, via KTVZ
- Oregon State Police, official Amber Alert eligibility criteria
- KATU News, video report
