Kidnapped grandmother and 7-year-old girl found in hotel, police say
A 63-year-old man was in custody Thursday and accused of kidnapping his girlfriend and her 7-year-old granddaughter. They were found in a hotel on Monday, police said.
Neither the woman nor her granddaughter were injured, authorities said.
The suspect was identified as Robert Allen Magness of Midlothian. He was being held in the Ellis County Jail in Waxahachie with bail set at $125,000. Midlothian is about 30 miles southeast of Fort Worth.
Magness is accused of kidnapping his girlfriend, Joy Dillard, and her granddaughter last week. Joy Dillard’s daughter Skylar reported her mother and daughter missing to Hickory police on Dec. 29. Joy Dillard lives in Hickory, according to a police news release.
Skylar Dillard went to the Midlothian police station on Sunday, telling officers about the missing pair and said her mother had a boyfriend who lived in Midlothian. That boyfriend was identified as Robert Allen Magness.
Officers didn’t find Magness at his Midlothian home but received a tip that he frequently stays at Americas Best Value Inn at 220 U.S. 67. Police found Magness’ vehicle at the hotel Monday and located the room he had rented, they said in the news release.
There they found Magness’ girlfriend and her granddaughter along with Magness, who was arrested.
Joy Dillard and her granddaughter told police they were not allowed to leave or use a phone, according to the news release..
Magness faces two charges of kidnapping, according to jail records. He was booked into the Ellis County Jail on New Year’s Day.
This story was originally published January 3, 2019 at 1:40 PM.
