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SANTA CLARA, Washington County — A third person arrested over the weekend was charged Monday with kidnapping a Santa Clara man from his home three weeks ago. He still has not been found.
Tammy Renee Freeman, 54, of Washington City, was charged Monday in 5th District Court with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated burglary, first-degree felonies, and theft, a second-degree felony.
Freeman, who was arrested Saturday, faces the same charges as Francis Lee McCard, 55, and Kelley Marie Perry, 31. The three are accused of kidnapping David Heisler, 30, from his home on June 27 where police found blood in the kitchen and garage.
Additional criminal charges were also filed Monday against Perry, who is the mother of Heisler's 6-year-old daughter. She was charged with possession of a weapon by a restricted person, a second-degree felony; drug distribution, a second-degree felony; and drug possession, a class B misdemeanor.
Investigators served a search warrant on Perry's house Saturday. Under the bed in her room, they found a 9 mm handgun with a full magazine and a bullet in the chamber, according to charging documents. They also reported finding drug packaging material and methamphetamine.
Charging documents against Freeman say she drove McCard and Perry to Heisler's house on the day he disappeared. After assaulting Heisler, McCard and Perry forced him into his own car and drove off, the charges state.
"(Freeman) coordinated efforts to pick up both suspects after the vehicle theft and kidnapping had occurred. Tammy admitted to driving to Mesquite, Nevada, with one suspect and picking up the other in Beaver Dam, Arizona," according to the charges.
Investigators also obtained surveillance video that allegedly shows Freeman helping McCard change his appearance immediately after the kidnapping. After kidnapping Heisler, McCard took him "to an unknown location against his will," the charges state.
Related:
Evidence of bullet, blood found in connection with missing Santa Clara man's car
A bullet casing was found inside the vehicle of a missing Santa Clara man and blood on the exterior of his car, according to a Washington County Jail report.As of Monday, Heisler was still missing and his condition unknown.The Mohave County Sheriff's Office in Arizona is leading the search with assistance from the FBI, the Bureau of Land Management and the Santa Clara-Ivins Police Department.
Heisler's vehicle was found abandoned on July 1 in Beaver Dam, Arizona. A bullet casing was found inside the car, as well as blood on the car's exterior. McCard admitted to taking the vehicle to Arizona and leaving it there, the charges state.
Perry was dropped off somewhere near the Utah-Arizona border, according to police. McCard was the last person seen with Heisler, the charges state.
No motive for the alleged kidnapping had been revealed as of Monday.
Heisler was given full custody of his daughter about two weeks before he disappeared, though the girl was with her mother on vacation when he went missing. The girl is currently in the custody of Heisler's family.
