January 9, 2015
(McKinney, Texas) – Kethan Andre Peoples, 30, of Whitehouse, Texas was sentenced to 40 years in prison by a jury on Friday for Aggravated Kidnapping, announced Collin County District Attorney Greg Willis.
Evidence showed that on the morning of April 3, 2014, Peoples abducted his ex-girlfriend from the parking lot of her work in Plano, duct taping her wrists and legs together, and forcing her into the backseat of his car. During this time, the victim dropped her cell phone, and her fiancé called 911 after overhearing the struggle. Over the next two hours, Peoples drove around with his victim restrained in his car. While stopped at a secluded apartment complex, Peoples tried to pull the victim out of the back seat. The victim had loosened the duct tape around her legs and attempted an escape. Peoples gave chase, recaptured her, and repeatedly punched her in the head and face, resulting in injuries.
Securing the victim again in the back seat of the car, Peoples continued his drive, making a second stop at a quiet Duncanville park. Through the use of emergency GPS tracking of the victim’s cell, Plano police tracked the victim’s location toward and into Duncanville. Duncanville police were contacted, provided information of the GPS coordinates, and a description of People’s car. Duncanville officers saw two individuals matching the missing victim and Peoples at the park, and confirmed the vehicle at the park belonged to Peoples. Officers took Peoples into custody at gunpoint without further incident.
Peoples will be eligible for parole consideration in 20 years.
Assistant Criminal District Attorneys Abby Nettles Policastro and Lisa Milasky King prosecuted the case and they were aided by District Attorney Investigators Ray McCommas and Michael Bennett. The case was investigated by the Plano Police Department with the assistance of the Duncanville Police Department. District Judge Benjamin Smith presided over the case.
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