Dallas, TX
Dallas kidnapping suspect that led to Amber Alert last month taken into custody
One of Texas’ Most Wanted fugitives in custody
Leonard Lamar Neal kidnapped a young girl leading to an AMBER Alert last month. He has been on the run since June 13.
DALLAS – Dallas police said the 41-year-old man accused of abducting a 7-year-old girl and her 9-year-old brother last month has been taken into custody.
Leonard Lamar Neal, who was considered one of the state’s top fugitives, was taken into custody just after 4 p.m. Friday.
Dallas police said U.S. Marshal North Texas Fugitive Task Force and patrol officers found that he was on a DART bus near Polk Street and Camp Wisdom Road, in the Red Bird neighborhood.
A couple recognized him and called 911, but when police arrived to arrest him, he made a drastic move.
SKY 4 was overhead Friday afternoon shortly after police got the break that would eventually lead them to a top 10 Texas fugitive.
“We were coming down Wheatland, across Polk, and we saw him sitting on the bus stop,” Kenyatta Jordan recalled.
Kenyatta and Briana Jordan were driving when they said they spotted Neal.
Police had been searching for Neal since June 11, when he reportedly lured a girl and her brother into a vehicle as they walked near their apartment in the 1500 block of Argentia Drive, near Zang Boulevard and Illinois Avenue in Oak Cliff.
Neal reportedly drove the children to a nearby store in the area of West Kiest Boulevard at South Polk Street.
According to police, the 9-year-old boy went up to a store but found that it was closed. When he turned around, Neal had already driven off with his sister.
Leonard Lamar Neal (Courtesy: Dallas Police)
The boy was found unharmed by a passerby in the parking lot.
The girl was later found, about 12 hours after being abducted. Police said Neal sexually assaulted the girl.
“Once I found out what type of crime he committed, I really wasn’t going to forget his face, so when I seen him, I knew who he was,” Kenyatta said.
The Jordans said they were on the phone with police as they saw Neal get on a DART bus.
Surveillance video across the street shows a police vehicle pull up in front.
Eventually, you see people get off the bus, before a swarm of officers eventually arrive.
Police said Neal harmed himself as police moved in to make the arrest.
“He broke the back door of the bus. I guess he was trying to get off or something, escape,” Briana recalled. “His foot was hanging out the back of the bus.”
Neal, who faces charges of aggravated kidnapping, kidnapping, and aggravates sexual assault of a child., was taken to a hospital in critical condition. No further details about his arrest have been released at this time.
The Jordans, who have children of their own and live nearby, said they are grateful Neal is now off the streets.
“You can sleep better. I wasn’t going to leave until I found out whether it was him or not,” Kenyatta said.
Neal had previously been arrested a handful of times since 2015.