Suspect in Kidnaping of 3 Michigan Girls Arrested in County

A man suspected of abducting three teen-age girls at knifepoint in Michigan and then releasing two of his victims in Chicago and the other in Las Vegas was arrested Tuesday in Santa Ana after a nationwide search, FBI officials said.

David Alan House, 35, of Harrison Township, Mich., was arrested on a federal kidnaping warrant and is scheduled to appear before a U.S. magistrate today in Los Angeles, FBI spokesman Jim Neilson said.

Another suspect, identified as Kenneth Paul Studabaker, 26, identified as House’s roommate, was still being sought, Neilson said.

The abductions occurred about 8 p.m. on Nov. 24 as the unidentified victims were waiting in a drive-through lane of a fast-food restaurant in Harrison Township, Neilson said.

Two men entered the girls’ vehicle at knifepoint and forced them to drive away, authorities said.

After driving several hours, “two of the victims were released in Chicago in the early morning hours of the 25th,” Neilson said.

The victims provided authorities with enough information to develop a composite drawing, which was aired on television in Michigan.

The broadcast “resulted in the identification of House and Studabaker,” Neilson said.

On Tuesday, the kidnapers left the third victim tied up inside a motel room in Las Vegas. She was able to free herself and contact police.

Later in the day, FBI agents obtained information that House had been staying at 535 S. Lyon St. in Santa Ana. House was taken into custody at 5:35 p.m. without incident, Neilson said.

Studabaker apparently had been at that location with House, but was not there when House was arrested. FBI officials said they believe Studabaker is still in Southern California. He was described as being 5 feet, 8 inches tall and weighing about 180 pounds with black, shoulder-length hair.

The FBI declined to release any other details about the kidnaping, including information about the victims’ conditions.