An illegal immigrant police officer described as a “ghost” has admitted to kidnapping and raping a teenage girl at knifepoint near New Orleans.
Diego Rodriguez Salvador, 23, was arrested on September 4 after he allegedly lured a 13-year-old girl into his car, took her to his home in Kenner, Louisiana, and raped her.
Rodriguez-Salvador, an illegal immigrant from Honduras, allegedly asked the teenage sister of a friend for a ride to a nearby store. She agreed to the ride, but when the girl realized they were going in the wrong direction, Rodriguez-Salvador attacked her at knifepoint, then dropped her off in her neighborhood and fled into the night, Kenner police said.
After receiving a report of the suspect around 7:45 p.m., Rodriguez-Salvador led police on a brief search that eventually led to the discovery of a white 2013 Nissan Altima associated with the suspect. Police said they were able to “make contact by phone” with the suspect, who agreed to turn himself in before being taken into custody.
Rodriguez-Salvador admitted to the crime, local police said. WDSU reported.
Kenner Police Chief Keith Conley called him a “ghost” and said little is known about him other than that he is from Honduras and is in the country illegally, the outlet reported. It's unclear when he entered the U.S.
“Diego is an illegal alien in the United States and detectives are working closely with Homeland Security Investigations to obtain additional information that will aid in his identification and arrest,” Kenner police said in a statement.
Rodriguez-Salvador is charged with second-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape of a minor.
