Local men arrested on suspicion of kidnapping Texas woman

Michael Lee Roberts

Michael Lee Roberts

Monday, June 16, 2014

A Bentonville man and a Rogers man have been arrested in connection with kidnapping a woman from her Texas home.

Michael Lee Roberts, 24, of Bentonville was being held on $150,000 bond Monday in the Benton County Jail after his arrest in connection with kidnapping, intimidating a witness and coercion. He was also being held on an out-of-state-warrant in connection for aggravated kidnapping.

Theron Alan Vance, 21, was arrested in connection with kidnapping and conspiracy to commit murder. He was being held Monday in the Benton County Jail with no bond set

According to the probable cause affidavit, police received a call at 12:38 p.m. Saturday from a employee at the Walmart Supercenter. The employee reported that a woman had given her a napkin stating that she was kidnapped from Texas by "her ex-boyfriend Michael Robert." Police learned that prior to their arrival that Roberts had been trying to get in the restroom and get the female to leave with him, but Roberts left the scene before police arrived.

Police were able to get a description of the vehicle and the direction it went, according to court documents.

The woman was still in the bathroom when police arrived and she told an officer that she was walking into her apartment between 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Friday when Roberts attacked her from behind, according to court documents. The woman said that Roberts had a grip around her throat and she thought she was going to die, but another man came in the room and Roberts loosened his grip, the affidavit states.

The woman said the other man had an FBI badge on his hip along with a gun and he later identified himself as Theron Alan Vance, the affidavit states. The woman reported that Vance identified himself as an FBI agent, but said he was in the National Guard with Roberts, according to court documents.

The woman reported that Roberts threatened her by telling her she had two options: go with him or he would kill her, the affidavit states. Roberts forced her to pack two suitcases, her computer and other personal documents and then instructed her to leave a note for her roommate to explain her disappearance, the affidavit states.

Roberts told her to write that a family member was sick in China and she was going home for awhile, the affidavit states. The woman said she completed the note, but was also able to write a note that said, "Call 911" and left it in the refrigerator, according to court documents.

The woman said they left her apartment and Roberts later broke her cell phone on the sidewalk, the affidavit states.

According to court documents, the woman reported that they stopped at a gas station in Eufaula, Okla. and she was able to write a note with a makeup pen. The note said she had been kidnapped by Michael Roberts and provided the tag number of the vehicle.

Police in Eufaula issued an alert at 6:47 a.m. Saturday reporting that a note was left in woman bathroom at a truck stop and Roberts and Vance were listed as the persons of interest, according to court documents.

The woman said they arrived at Roberts' apartment at 2:30 a.m. Saturday and she slept in the bed with Roberts while Vance was on the couch, according to the affidavit. The woman said she and Roberts later went out to eat lunch and stopped at Walmart, where she was able to give the note to the Walmart employee, the affidavit states.

The woman told police that she met Roberts in 2012 while at Arkansas State University in Jonesboro and they began dating, but she tried to break up with him and he became hostile and threatening, according to the affidavit. She said they split up in Jonesboro, but Robert came to Dallas on three separate occasions trying to reconcile and she had contacted police, the affidavit states.

Roberts had been arrested in Texas in connnection with a knife incident involving the woman. He was scheduled to appear July 10th in court on the case, according to court documents.

According to court documents, the woman said Roberts and Vance told her that they kidnapped her because they did not want her to testify against Roberts in Texas. The woman said Roberts was also trying to reconcile their relationship and she said she cooperated because she was in fear, the affidavit states.

Police apprehended Roberts walking near his neighborhood.

According to court documents, police searched Roberts' apartment and spoke with his roommates, Jason Pruitt and his girlfriend.

Pruitt initially denied knowing anything about Roberts' relationship with the woman and claimed he barely knew Vance, the affidavit states.

Pruitt later told police that he knew Roberts had an ex-girlfriend in Dallas that he hates and has said he was "going to take care of it," the affidavit states.

According to court documents, Pruitt admitted to using Roberts' cell phone to call his mother to help give Roberts an alibi. Pruitt told police the plan was to make it look like Roberts was at home during the time frame the woman was kidnapped or murdered in Dallas, the affidavit states.

Tony Marveggio, a lieutenant with the Bentonville Police Department, said the investigation is ongoing and more information may be released later.