RIO BLANCO, Colo. — A Meeker woman was found safe after she was allegedly kidnapped at gunpoint from the Bloomberg Ranch in Rio Blanco County on Wednesday, according to the sheriff's office.
The Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office said the woman was working at the ranch on Wednesday morning when the suspect, who was identified as Joseph Beecher, 48, of Craig, allegedly kidnapped her at gunpoint.
Beecher forced the woman to leave the property in her Ford F-150 just before noon.
Deputies with the sheriff’s office responded to the area shortly afterward.
The sheriff's office worked alongside local, state and federal authorities on Wednesday, and issued a statewide Endangered Missing Alert.
Investigators learned that Beecher allegedly took the woman to the Denver metro area for multiple stops, and then drove up to Wyoming in the evening. They determined both Beecher and the woman were at the Stagecoach Motel, located at 1515 W. Lincoln in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
Early Thursday, the Cheyenne Police Department’s SWAT Team arrested Beecher and found the woman safe. She has been reunited with her family.
Beecher had multiple firearms in his possession when he was arrested, according to the sheriff's office.
Beecher faces multiple state charges, including kidnapping, felony menacing and others, plus charges out of Wyoming. He is being held without bail, according to the sheriff's office.
No details were available on why Beecher went to the ranch. He does not have any connections to the woman or the Bloomberg family.
The ranch is owned by the Bloombergs out of New York, but they were not at the ranch at the time of the alleged kidnapping, and are now cooperating with police.
Ty Trippet, spokesman for Michael Bloomberg, released the following statement: "We're deeply grateful to the Rio Blanco County Sheriff's office, the Colorado Bureau of Investigation, Wyoming law enforcement, the FBI and other individuals for their swift and heroic action in this case in ensuring that no lives were lost and that the victim has been rescued and safely returned to her family."
Denver7 has purposefully left the victim's name out of this story.
