FortBendNow.com

Despite a search effort that has stretched into Louisiana, there were no overnight developments in the search for abducted Katy ISD police officer Rachel Hillsman.

REYES AND HILLSMAN

Hillsman was reportedly kidnapped at gunpoint early yesterday by Julio Reyes, a fellow school district police officer with whom she had a previous relationship.

Reyes is reported to have taken Hillsman at gunpoint from near her mother’s residence about 6 a.m. Tuesday. Since that time, the pair has been at the center of massive search effort that included law enforcement officers from numerous jurisdictions, a search using three helicopters and a statewide bulletin to all law enforcement agencies.

Waller County Sheriff Glenn Smith said Hillsman was abducted by Reyes from the gate of her mother’s rural Waller County residence as she was on her way to work.

Smith said Hillsman was dropping her children off to stay with their grandmother at the time of the kidnapping. Smith’s children, 7 and 13 months, were left behind in Hillsman’s vehicle.

The 7-year-old took her younger sibling to their grandmother’s residence after their mother was taken. Neither was injured.

Reyes is reportedly the father of the 13-month-old. The 7-year-old is from a previous relationship.

Smith said although Hillsman and Reyes were at one time romantically involved – a relationship that produced the younger child – they had not been together for “a number of months.” 

The older child told deputies Hillsman struggled to escape but was physically restrained by Reyes. She may have been handcuffed.

Hillsman was wearing her uniform at the time of the kidnapping. Blood was reportedly found in her car.

A warrant has been issued for Reyes, charging him with aggravated kidnapping. Roadblocks were set up throughout Waller County in an effort to locate the fugitive police officer.  

Reyes is reported to be heavily armed with an AR-15 assault rifle, a pistol and a Taser. A Katy ISD spokesman yesterday could not confirm whether the weapons belong to the school district police department.

Hillsman has been with the Katy ISD Police Department since January of 2006. Reyes has been with the department since May of 1999.

The pair was last seen at the abduction site on FM 1458 in Waller County as Reyes forced Hillsman into his pickup truck. The truck is described as a 2002 green Ford Super Duty pickup truck bearing Texas license 87V-DP7.

The truck was last seen heading toward Austin County.