WESTMORELAND COUNTY, PA - Authorities in Pennsylvania are actively searching for a 29-year-old man who they say abducted a woman at gunpoint shortly after police responded to an alleged domestic violence incident.
Police said the man forced the victim to stay in the woods overnight after threatening to cut a child's throat. The alleged suspect, Shawn Prince, is currently wanted on charges of kidnapping, simple assault, making terroristic threats, and harassment, Law & Crime reported.
His victim, identified as Lydia Nelson, was able to escape the kidnapping when he started to "nod off" and forced her to drive the vehicle. A news release from the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said that the investigation into Prince began on Wednesday, October 1, when members of the victim's family called the Scottdale Police Department and requested a welfare check on the victim's home.
The family members reported that they had not heard from the victim since Monday, September 29, shortly after a "previous domestic incident" to which police responded, which involved the victim and Prince. Upon arriving at the residence for the welfare check, police said they found the door open and the victim's phone inside, but no one was home.
While still at the scene, the officers were notified that the victim had just placed a 911 call and was currently at the police station. In an interview with investigators, the victim claimed that Prince "kidnapped her" shortly after the officers who responded to the domestic incident left the home.
The victim told police that Prince "threatened to cut her friend's child's throat if she did not comply and go with him." Prince then allegedly drove the victim to a "rural, wooded area she did not recognize and put a gun to her head" after forcing her out of the car and into the woods.
The two stayed in the woods overnight, and the following morning, they got back into the car and Prince drove out of the woods, police said. At some point during the drive, Prince apparently grew drowsy enough that he was unable to drive. "The victim told officers Prince started nodding off and made the victim drive the vehicle," the DA said.
"The victim said she started recognizing her surroundings near Ohiopyle and drove to the Scottdale Police station because she knew where it was located. The victim managed to escape the vehicle and ran to the police department and called 911 as Prince drove away."
As he was fleeing, Prince allegedly "yelled that he would burn the victim's house down." After that, authorities said that the victim had not been seen or heard from since 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 2, according to WTAE. "The family went back up [to the house] again after not being able to make contact with her again."
Police say she could be in danger as Prince has not yet been located. "Torturous is the best way to describe it," said Destiny Nelson, one of Lydia's daughters. "We'd do just about anything to find her. We've contacted Connellsville police, Scottdale police, state troopers, as well as the Ohiopyle Park Rangers. They're on the lookout for her as well."
"I'm very worried because of these recent incidents with her husband," said Cara Nelson, another one of Lydia's daughters. "It's been a very crazy week."
Authorities urge anyone who knows where Prince might be or has additional information to call 911 or contact Scottdale police. "[Lydia's] about five-foot-five with dark black hair," Destiny said. "She has a couple of noticeable tattoos. She has my brother's name, Isaac, on her wrist, and Shawn's name written across her chest."
Police said the man forced the victim to stay in the woods overnight after threatening to cut a child's throat. The alleged suspect, Shawn Prince, is currently wanted on charges of kidnapping, simple assault, making terroristic threats, and harassment, Law & Crime reported.
His victim, identified as Lydia Nelson, was able to escape the kidnapping when he started to "nod off" and forced her to drive the vehicle. A news release from the Westmoreland County District Attorney's Office said that the investigation into Prince began on Wednesday, October 1, when members of the victim's family called the Scottdale Police Department and requested a welfare check on the victim's home.
The family members reported that they had not heard from the victim since Monday, September 29, shortly after a "previous domestic incident" to which police responded, which involved the victim and Prince. Upon arriving at the residence for the welfare check, police said they found the door open and the victim's phone inside, but no one was home.
While still at the scene, the officers were notified that the victim had just placed a 911 call and was currently at the police station. In an interview with investigators, the victim claimed that Prince "kidnapped her" shortly after the officers who responded to the domestic incident left the home.
The victim told police that Prince "threatened to cut her friend's child's throat if she did not comply and go with him." Prince then allegedly drove the victim to a "rural, wooded area she did not recognize and put a gun to her head" after forcing her out of the car and into the woods.
The two stayed in the woods overnight, and the following morning, they got back into the car and Prince drove out of the woods, police said. At some point during the drive, Prince apparently grew drowsy enough that he was unable to drive. "The victim told officers Prince started nodding off and made the victim drive the vehicle," the DA said.
"The victim said she started recognizing her surroundings near Ohiopyle and drove to the Scottdale Police station because she knew where it was located. The victim managed to escape the vehicle and ran to the police department and called 911 as Prince drove away."
As he was fleeing, Prince allegedly "yelled that he would burn the victim's house down." After that, authorities said that the victim had not been seen or heard from since 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 2, according to WTAE. "The family went back up [to the house] again after not being able to make contact with her again."
Police say she could be in danger as Prince has not yet been located. "Torturous is the best way to describe it," said Destiny Nelson, one of Lydia's daughters. "We'd do just about anything to find her. We've contacted Connellsville police, Scottdale police, state troopers, as well as the Ohiopyle Park Rangers. They're on the lookout for her as well."
"I'm very worried because of these recent incidents with her husband," said Cara Nelson, another one of Lydia's daughters. "It's been a very crazy week."
Authorities urge anyone who knows where Prince might be or has additional information to call 911 or contact Scottdale police. "[Lydia's] about five-foot-five with dark black hair," Destiny said. "She has a couple of noticeable tattoos. She has my brother's name, Isaac, on her wrist, and Shawn's name written across her chest."
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Comments
2025-10-06T19:15-0400 | Comment by: James
We no longer have the death penalty in this country and that is the problem!!!