Suspect sought in kidnapping of 13-year-old girl

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. — The FBI and the San Juan County Sheriff’s Office are looking for a man suspected of kidnapping a 13-year-old girl in Kirtland, New Mexico.

Kaylani Benallie was reported missing Tuesday night and then found alive at a trading post in Red Valley, Arizona Wednesday morning. According to the FBI, she was abducted at about 7:30 p.m. by a suspect described as a Native American man in his 30s-40s, approximately 6 feet tall with short brown hair and no facial hair.

The suspect was last seen at the Broken Horn arena/RV Park on County Road 6100 in Kirtland, where he allegedly abducted Kaylani. An FBI spokesperson said the suspect may be driving a dark-colored four-door pickup truck with a bed cover, silver rims and a 4×4 emblem.

"Law enforcement is actively searching for this suspect, but we need the public’s help to bring this perpetrator to justice," said Special Agent in Charge Raul Bujanda of the Albuquerque FBI Division. "Anyone with information on this suspect’s whereabouts is asked to immediately contact the FBI at 505-889-1300 or report online at tips.fbi.gov."

The Navajo Nation Department of Public Safety is assisting with this investigation.