CRIME

FBI releases sketch of man suspected of kidnapping girl from Kirtland

Farmington Daily Times

FARMINGTON — The FBI has released a sketch of the unidentified suspect in the kidnapping of a 13-year-old girl on the night of Sept. 14 from Kirtland. She was found at a trading post in Arizona the next day.

Kaylani Benallie, 13, was kidnapped on the night of Sept. 14 from the Broken Horn Arena/RV Park on County Road 6100 in Kirtland, where she was last seen walking to a restroom.

This FBI sketch of a man accused of kidnapping 13-year-old Kaylani Benallie on the night of Sept. 14 from Kirtland was released Sept.17. The accused is described as a Native American man in his 30s or 40s who is about six feet tall with short brown hair and no facial hair.

She was later found alive at a trading post in Red Valley, Ariz., at around 7:30 to 7:45 a.m. on Sept. 15. The trading post is about 44 miles away from where she was abducted.

Law enforcement and federal authorities have not released information about when the investigation shifted from a missing person’s case to a kidnapping.

The FBI sketch shows a man described as a Native American male in his 30s or 40s who is about six feet tall with no facial hair and short, brown hair.

The man could be driving a dark colored, four-door pickup truck with silver rims, a “4x4” emblem and a bed cover.

Anyone with information is asked to file an online report at tips.fbi.gov or call 505-889-1300.

A Brittany Alert was issued by state and county law enforcement at 10:52 p.m. on Sept. 14.after Benallie's disappearance.

A Brittany alert is a notification about someone who is missing and endangered who has been diagnosed with a developmental disability, according to the New Mexico State Police website.

Joshua Kellogg covers breaking news for The Daily Times. He can be reached at 505-564-4627 or via email at jkellogg@daily-times.com.

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