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 Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping

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PostSubject: Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping   Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping Icon_minipostedSat Nov 12, 2011 12:15 am

Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping
Vehicle used in abduction found in nearby town in Venezuela
By Bill Ladson / MLB.com | 11/10/11 3:58 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was kidnapped in his native Venezuela on Wednesday night, and officials are investigating after finding the vehicle used in the abduction, according to multiple reports from Venezuela.

In a joint statement issued on Thursday afternoon with Major League Baseball, the Nationals said, "Our foremost concern is with Wilson Ramos and his family, and our thoughts are with them at this time. Major League Baseball's department of investigations is working with the appropriate authorities on this matter. Both Major League Baseball and the Washington Nationals have been instructed to make no further comment."

Ramos, who was playing for Tigres de Aragua in Venezuela's Winter League, was taken from his home in Santa Ines by four armed gunmen on Wednesday evening, Kathe Vilera, the Tigres' spokeswoman, said through the team's Twitter account.

The vehicle was found abandoned in a nearby town, according to reports. The captors have not made contact with Ramos' family, Domingo Alvarez, vice president of the Venezuelan Professional Baseball League, said on Thursday morning.

Members of the sports world expressed support for Ramos on Twitter.

"Wilson Ramos kidnapped in Venezuela?! Don't know him well off the field, but he seems like a strong fella. Pray for the best," Phillies outfielder Hunter Pence said.

Said Twins outfielder Denard Span: "Just heard about the news of Wilson Ramos. I think we all need to pray he is safe and that he will get back to his family!"

"Wilson Ramos situation is very sad. ... No respect for human life. Greed, money-loving people are killing this world," Indians manager Manny Acta said.

"Extremely upsetting news about Ramo," teammate Drew Storen tweeted. "Thoughts and prayers [are] with him."

Ramos and pitcher Joe Testa were acquired from the Twins on July 29, 2010, for closer Matt Capps and cash. In 2011, he played his first full big league season and became the everyday catcher, hitting .267 with 15 home runs and 52 RBIs. His home run total is a Nationals record for a catcher.

The abduction appears to be the first involving a Major League Baseball player, according to The Associated Press, though relatives of other players have been targeted in the past.

A son and brother-in-law of Yorvit Torrealba, then with the Rockies, were released one day after being taken in 2009, and the mother of former pitcher Victor Zambrano was rescued after a three-day ordeal later that year. The mother of two-time All-Star pitcher Ugueth Urbina was rescued after five months of captivity in 2005.

Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He also could be found on Twitter @WashingNats. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping   Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping Icon_minipostedSat Nov 12, 2011 12:18 am

Evidence has Ramos investigators optimistic
Authorities in Venezuela working toward 'quick resolution'
By Cash Kruth / MLB.com | 11/11/11 4:35 PM EST

Venezuelan authorities told The Associated Press on Friday they are hopeful they can swiftly solve the kidnapping of Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos, who was abducted on Wednesday outside his home city of Valencia.

Deputy Justice Minister Edwin Rojas told the AP that investigators are continuing to gather evidence and already have descriptions of the kidnappers from witnesses.

"We have faith in the quick resolution of this case," Rojas told state television, according to the report, and added that President Hugo Chavez's government "is working 24 hours a day to solve this case."

Venezuelan security expert Luis Cedeno told the AP that Ramos' abductors could be linked to one of the Venezuelan criminal groups that focus on high-profile kidnappings. Such kidnappings could demand a large ransom, according to the report.

"It's a very sophisticated, well-planned kidnapping," Cedeno told the AP.

According to the report, Cedeno also said that cases such as these could potentially last months and the people behind the kidnappings are usually "men who carry out one or two kidnappings a year and they plan it very, very well."

Ramos, who was playing for Tigres de Aragua in the Venezuelan Winter League, was taken from his home in Santa Ines by four armed gunmen on Wednesday evening, Kathe Vilera, the Tigres' spokeswoman, said through the team's Twitter account.

Cash Kruth is a reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter at @cashkruth. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping   Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping Icon_minipostedSat Nov 12, 2011 12:23 am

After two days, Ramos rescued in Venezuela
Kidnapped catcher safely found by investigators on Friday night
By Adam Berry / MLB.com | 11/11/11 11:07 PM EST

Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos was found safely in Venezuela on Friday night and was on his way home after being kidnapped more than 50 hours earlier.

The Nationals have not confirmed the report, but Venezuelan Justice Minister Tareck El Aissami announced the news on state television.

Marfa Mata, a longtime friend of Ramos', tweeted Friday night that "Wilson appeared," and the news was confirmed by multiple media outlets later in the evening. Mata told Venezuelan reporter Rafael Rojas that the Ramos family was notified of his rescue by the Internal Affairs Minister.

Ramos was rescued in the mountains in the state of Carabobo, roughly 40 miles northwest of where he was abducted in Valencia, according to communications minister Andres Izarra.

"It's a special moment for his family," Gustavo Mercano, Ramos' agent, told the Washington Post. "We're all happy. We're grateful."

Scot Drucker, a teammate of Ramos' with Tigres de Aragua, tweeted that Ramos is in Caracas receiving medical attention. Drucker also tweeted that the crowd at the club's Winter League game began to cheer non-stop upon hearing the news, pausing the play on the field as the fans stood and applauded.

Adam Berry is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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PostSubject: Re: Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping   Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping Icon_minipostedSun Nov 13, 2011 7:19 pm

After two days, Ramos rescued in Venezuela
Kidnapped catcher safely found by investigators on Friday night
By Jesse Sanchez and Bill Ladson / MLB.com | 11/12/11 5:40 PM EST

WASHINGTON -- Wilson Ramos is home.

More than 50 hours after he was abducted from the front yard of his mother's home outside of Valencia, Venezuela, the Nationals' 24-year-old catcher was rescued by Venezuelan authorities after a 15-minute gunfight on Friday.

"I feel so happy and proud of all the supporters and fans with the Nationals, Major League Baseball and Venezuela who [were] praying for me," Ramos told MLB.com from Venezuela. "I don't have the words to describe this experience and what I have been through."

He was rescued during an air operation in the mountains in the state of Carabobo, roughly 40 miles northwest of where he was abducted.

"I was super scared, and even though [the kidnappers] did not hurt me physically, it was something that was very painful," Ramos said. "I didn't think I was ever going to see my family again and that hurt me so much. But now, I am with them again and it feels tremendous to be back."

On Wednesday, Ramos was kidnapped by four armed gunmen in the suburban neighborhood of Santa Ines. He had not been heard from until his rescue.

"It happened so fast," Ramos said. "We took off in one car and then we changed cars. Then we went to a house in the mountains. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know what to think. I was very scared."

Ramos was especially grateful to Venezuela's CICPC (police), including chief Roger Mendez, chief Luis Sifontes, chief Luis Rodriguez, assistant chief Franklin Inojosa, chief inspector Gilberto Contreras, and inspectors Jose Dlima, David Pena and Jose De La Cruz.

"They saved my life and risked their own for me," Ramos said. "And I am grateful and I will never know how to thank them. I will thank them all of my life."

Ramos said that six people were involved in his kidnapping and detention -- an older couple which took care of him (food and water), two people who were in charge of driving him up the mountain where he was held and two others who were the actual kidnappers.

Ramos believed some of the people involved were from Colombia because of their accent, and Venezuelan justice minister Tareck El Aissami, who announced the news of the rescue on state television, confirmed that, saying the police have three people in custody, including a Colombian "linked to paramilitary groups and to kidnapping groups."

El Aissami said police are still gathering evidence at the site of the rescue "to see if we can find others who were responsible." No official reports of the kidnappers demanding money are available, though Ramos said the kidnappers told him they expected to get a ransom and release him in three or four days, but that they struggled with communication because of the lack of a cellular signal in the woods. Ramos said his captors used phone calling cards to communicate with others.

The Venezuelan government is going to provide Ramos and his family with bodyguards going forward.

"I join Wilson in thanking the many law enforcement officials in Venezuela and investigators with Major League Baseball who worked tirelessly to ensure a positive ending to what has been a frightening ordeal," Nationals general manager Mike Rizzo said in a statement Friday. "The only detail that concerns us tonight is that Wilson is safe. The entire Washington Nationals family is thankful that Wilson Ramos is coming home."

According to The Associated Press, Ramos' mother was jubilant upon hearing the news and proclaimed on television, "Thanks to God!"

"Thanks to my country, to my neighbors and to my family, who were supporting us," she said.

She soon spoke with Ramos by phone and happily announced, "He's fine."

Scot Drucker, a teammate of Ramos' with Tigres de Aragua, tweeted Friday that Ramos was in Caracas, Venezuela, receiving medical attention. He later tweeted that the crowd at Tigres' Winter League game began to cheer nonstop upon hearing news of the rescue. Play on the field stopped as the fans stood and applauded.

"The happiness is something that I can't describe," said Kathe Vilera, the spokesperson for Tigres. "The fans went crazy when the stadium announcer said it."

It's been an excruciating couple of days for the Ramos family. The kidnapping happened in front of several witnesses, including his brothers and neighbors.

"He tried to stay calm, because they had a gun on his head and said, 'If you move, I kill you,'" said Marfa Mata, who has worked with Ramos as his public relations assistant since 2009. "The man put one arm on his neck and gun on his head and got in an SUV."

On Thursday, the SUV was found in a town near Santa Ines. Early Friday, deputy justice minister Edwin Rojas told the AP that investigators were gathering evidence and had descriptions of the kidnappers from witnesses. Venezuelan security expert Luis Cedeno told the AP that Ramos' abductors could be linked to one of the Venezuelan criminal groups that focus on high-profile kidnappings.

Vilera and Mata kept the public informed through updates on their Twitter accounts. Vilera, who operates the official Twitter account for the Tigres, saw Ramos at Estadio Jose Perez Colmenares, the home stadium of the Tigres, almost every day.

Mata, who is a reporter by trade, has been giving Ramos lessons in media training. The sessions are a challenge at times, she said, because the quiet-natured Ramos would rather play baseball or teach a child about sports than stand in front a camera and talk about it.

"After games, I've seen him pull over and park his car and take time to sign autographs for kids," Mata said. "He is always taking photos. The fans love him, and he loves the kids, too."

News of Ramos' abduction spread quickly.

On Thursday, Major League Baseball and the Nationals issued a joint statement on Wilson's situation, and later, players in the Venezuelan Professional League began to wear ribbons on their uniforms in honor of their friend. Major League players expressed themselves through Twitter.

"Wilson Ramos situation is very sad. ... No respect for human life. Greed, money-loving people are killing this world," tweeted Indians manager Manny Acta.

"Extremely upsetting news about Ramo," teammate Drew Storen tweeted. "Thoughts and prayers [are] with him."

Early Friday, an estimated 75 to 100 fans participated in the candlelight vigil for Ramos behind the center-field gate at Nationals Park. There were at least a dozen lighted candles and signs that read "Free No. 3" and "Bring Home Wilson."

"I thought maybe if we all got together, it would be a good way to show some support, lean on each other a little bit and try to do something, even if it's showing that we care," said Alicia Durfee, who organized the event. "It turned to a lot more than that. ... I know that everybody likes him as a player. I didn't realize how much everybody cared about him as a person, too."

Venezuela consistently ranks near the top of the list in murder rates, and the number of kidnappings have grown in recent years. Many crimes go unsolved.

The catcher's abduction is the first known for a Major League player, but there have been kidnapping incidents involving the families of big league players in the past. A son and brother-in-law of now-Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba were released one day after being abducted in 2009, and the mother of former pitcher Victor Zambrano was rescued after a three-day ordeal later that year. Four years earlier, the mother of two-time All-Star pitcher Ugueth Urbina was rescued five months after she was kidnapped.

Nationals shortstop Ian Desmond knows how important family is to Ramos. He recalls the time Ramos brought his mother and sister to the United States to watch him play in the big leagues for the first time.

"He was telling me all about it," Desmond said. "He was ecstatic for his mom to be here. He was so excited. He was going to take his mom to the mall. Anything that she wanted, he was going to buy for her."

The Ramos family has plenty to be proud of. In 2011, the catcher played his first full big league season and became the everyday starter behind the plate, hitting .267 with 15 home runs (a Nationals record for a backstop) and 52 RBIs.

It's unclear what Ramos has planned for the future, or if he intends to leave Venezuela.

"[Ramos] loves to sit on the porch with his brothers and play with the neighborhood kids," Mata said. "He's always available for pictures, and everyone in the community loves him because he's an idol. Everybody knew where he lived, and they knew he would come. This year, he played the whole season, and everyone was trying to get the date when he was coming to say hello and take a picture."

Jesse Sanchez is a national reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB. Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com and writes an MLBlog, All Nats All the time. He also could be found on Twitter @WashingNats. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111111&content_id=25960762&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb


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PostSubject: Re: Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping   Investigations under way in Ramos kidnapping Icon_minipostedSun Nov 13, 2011 7:24 pm

Ramos relieved to be home after ordeal
By Jesse Sanchez / MLB.com | 11/12/11 5:36 PM EST

It's been less than 24 hours since he was rescued from kidnappers in Venezuela, and Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos still can't believe what happened to him.

"I was super scared, and even though they did not hurt me physically, it was something that was very painful," Ramos told MLB.com by phone from his home in Venezuela. "I didn't think I was ever going to see my family again, and that hurt me so much. But now, I am with them again and it feels tremendous to be back."

On Wednesday, Ramos was kidnapped by four armed gunmen in the suburban neighborhood of Santa Ines, thrown into a SUV and had not been heard from until his rescue.

He was rescued Friday during an air operation in the mountains in the state of Carabobo, roughly 40 miles northwest of where he was abducted, according to communications minister Andres Izarra.

Six people were arrested, including what Ramos described as an older couple who administered him food and water during the ordeal. Two other people were in charge of driving him up the mountain and two other people were the actual kidnappers. Ramos believes some of the people involved were from Colombia because of their accent.

"I was in the front of my house when they took me. It happened so fast," Ramos said. "We took off in one car and then we changed cars. Then we went to a house in the mountains. I didn't know what was going on. I didn't know what to think. I was very scared.

Ramos said he was told that he was being held for ransom and that the kidnappers expected to release him in three or four days. He added that the kidnappers struggled with communication because of the lack of a cellular signal in the woods.

"They wanted money and they said they were not going to hurt me if they got their money," Wilson continued. "They actually treated me well. They never hurt me. They fed me. They knew who I was and said it was not about hurting me. It was about money."

On Thursday, the SUV was found in a town near Santa Ines. Early Friday, Venezuelan deputy justice minister Edwin Rojas told the AP that investigators were gathering evidence and had descriptions of the kidnappers from witnesses. Security expert Luis Cedeno told the AP that Ramos' abductors could be linked to one of the Venezuelan criminal groups that focus on high-profile kidnappings.

"I remember the authorities showing up outside and there was a gunfight," Ramos said. "I think it lasted about 15 minutes. I was under the bed. I was so afraid. All of a sudden I hear the police calling my name. 'Wilson! Wilson!' And I answered, 'I'm here! I'm here!' They got me off the floor and got me back home. I am so grateful."

Ramos said he was grateful to the police officers who helped in his rescue, particularly Chief Roger Mendez; Chief Luis Sifontes; Chief Luis Rodriguez; Assistant Chief Franklin Inojosa; Chief Inspector Gilberto Contreras; and Inspectors Jose Dlima, David Pena, and Jose De La Cruz.

"They saved my life and risked their own for me," Ramos said. "And I am grateful and I will never know how to thank them. I will thank them all of my life."

The catcher's abduction is the first for a known Major League player, but there have been kidnapping incidents involving the families of Major League players in the past. A son and brother-in-law of now-Rangers catcher Yorvit Torrealba were released one day after being abducted in 2009, and the mother of former pitcher Victor Zambrano was rescued after a three-day ordeal later that year. Four years earlier, the mother of two-time All-Star pitcher Ugueth Urbina was rescued five months after she was kidnapped.

Ramos said he would like to stay in Venezuela and play for the Tigres de Aragua but understands if the Nationals feel otherwise.

"Going back to Venezuela is a decision that the Nationals will have to make," Ramos said. "But I know from now on that the government is going to provide bodyguards for me and my family so something like this never happens again. Venezuela is my home and I think the fans that have supported me and prayed for me deserve to see me play again. I have to show the appreciation for what everyone in my country has done for me."

Ramos said he is going to spend the next few days with his family in Venezuela as they continue to cope with after-effects of the abduction. The catcher is safe at home and he is going to enjoy his time with the family.

"I feel so happy and proud of all the supporters and fans with the Nationals, Major League Baseball and Venezuela who [were] praying for me," Ramos said. "I don't have the words to describe this experience and what I have been through."

Jesse Sanchez is a national reporter for MLB.com. Follow him on Twitter @JesseSanchezMLB.
This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.
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