Peru, IL, kidnapping victim found safe in Peoria; suspect ID'd but on the run

Victim initially identified as teenage girl; police say she's young woman in her 20s
Tuesday, June 15, 2021
PERU, Ill. (WLS) -- A young woman was found safe after being snatched off the streets of Peru, Illinois, early Monday morning, police said.

Peru police said despite the victim initially being reported as a teen girl, she is a young woman in her 20s. Police said she was found safe and is being kept in a secure location in Peoria.

The incident happened just after 5 a.m. near the intersection of Plum and Seventh streets, about 100 miles southwest of Chicago, in LaSalle County.

Multiple witnesses said two men forced a screaming girl into a white pickup truck, the FBI said.

Police said a suspect has been identified in the kidnapping.

WATCH: Police announce updates in Peru kidnapping
Peru police announce updates in kidnapping of young woman


There was evidence of a violent struggle at the scene, police said. They reviewed video evidence and spoke with neighbors and witnesses, and police credited with the help of those witnesses and other citizens with helping them solve the case.

Police said they found the woman around 11 a.m. Tuesday. She was shaken up, but had no physical injuries that required medical attention.

The investigation remains ongoing. Police believe the kidnapper is from the Peoria area, and is currently on the run. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

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Peru police said they believe it is a domestic-related abduction, and that the victim and the suspect, who is a convicted felon, have a previous dating history.

Bobby A. Cross, 27, was named the suspect in this kidnapping. There is currently a warrant for his arrest for failure to appear in court. His last known address is in Peoria.

Several firearms were recovered, including one with a silencer, during their search of a vehicle involved in the kidnapping where the victim was found.

The FBI has been called in to assist the Peru Police Department.

Tips can be reported to the FBI (even anonymously) at 312-421-6700 or directly to Peru Police Department.

Please note: The video in the player at the top of the story is from an earlier report

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