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3 plotted to kidnap Gert Boyle for ransom

New court documents obtained by KGW indicate that the attack on Columbia Sportswear icon Gert Boyle was not just a robbery but also a kidnapping attempt.
gert boyle robbery columbia sportswear

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Last week's attack on Columbia Sportswear's Gert Boyle included a plan to kidnap her and hold her for ransom,according to probable cause documents obtained by KGWNewsChannel 8.

Jose Luis Arevalo told investigators that he drove his van to Gert Boyle s house for the purpose of kidnapping her in exchange for $20,000 as a share.

The information came as part of an indcitment filed Tuesday against the three defendents and obtained exclusively by KGW.

Court documents show the suspects planned with the purpose of compelling Gertrude Boyle and or her family and/or her company to pay or deliver money for property as ransom.

The court documents stated that Ramon Alberto Midence and Nestor Gabriel Caballero Gutierrez started plotting the kidnap and ransom scheme as early as January.

The indicment listed eight witnesses testified before the grand jury, including Boyle, police and a relative of one of the suspects.

Arevalo and Midence were arrested Monday in connection with the home invasion robbery of former Columbia Sportswear CEO Gert Boyle. They face burglary, robbery and kidnapping charges.

In documents obtained by KGW, Midence admitted plotting the crime in advance with 39-year-old Caballero Gutierrez, and dropping him off at Boyle's house that night.

Caballero Gutierrez is charged with kidnapping, assault, conspiracy, solicitation, coercion, robbery and burglary.

West Linn police saidCaballero Gutierrez approached Boyle in her driveway and forced his way into her home while holding her at gun-point. He then reportedly tied Boyle up before fleeing the scene last Wednesday night. Boyle was able to set off an alarm that alerted police.

Caballero Gutierrez confesses

In probable cause documents, detectives wrote that Caballero Gutierrez confessed to the burglary and had the victim's jewelry.

Caballero Gutierrez appeared in court on charges of kidnapping, robbery and burglaryFriday. He was also being detained on a no bail immigration hold.

According to friends of the suspects and police reports, all three appeared to be broke, desperate, and looking for money.

This wasn't a random thing at all, this wasn't a guy in the neighborhood looking for big houses, said Sgt. Neil Hennelly of the West Linn police department. He was specifically going after Gert Boyle.

Suspect's home foreclosed

Caballero Gutierrez lives in a quiet Beaverton neighborhood.

On Friday, KGW learned that Caballero Gutierrez was forced out of his home in Sherwood after defaulting on his loan. Records show his $315,000 loan was foreclosed in December of 2009.

One neighbor told KGW he was surprised to learn of the charges.

We've known him for quite a while, he's always been such a great.. seemed like a hard worker, really great guy, said Tom Tucker.

Caballero Gutierrez doesn't have a criminal history.

It's sad. I don't know what to say, why that happened, said his brother-in-law Patrick Darang. Just probably stress, I don't know. Money problems . . . who knows what it is.

State records showed that until about a year ago, Caballero Gutierrez ran Creativa Advertising Agency out of a Southwest Portland office. The agency specialized in marketing to Hispanic clients.

He had a nice office. He hustled quite a bit and was always on the move, and he looked like he was doing fine, a man who worked in the same office building said.

The man, who asked not to be identified, said Caballero Gutierrez' office abruptly closed about a year ago. He added, a number of people would come by looking for bills that had not been taken care of.

I was asking him if he had any more work and he said that the situation was just really bad, said Mike Iguarta, who worked for him and last spoke with him about four months ago.

Boyle received only minor injuries in the attack, but was still feeling well enough to kid the West Linn chief of police about his outerwear choice when he showed up at her door wearing a North Face jacket.

MORE: Boyle thwarts robber, presses panic button

KGWReporter Kyle Iboshi contributed to this report

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