RIFLE, Colo. — The man wanted in the alleged abduction of a 12-year-old Grand Junction girl turned a gun on himself as law enforcement moved in on him on Friday morning, the Garfield County Sheriff’s Office said.
A few hours later, Jody Haskin, 47, was pronounced dead, the Rifle Police Department said.
Haskin is accused of taking Raeanna Rosencrans on Wednesday afternoon in Grand Junction, prompting an Amber Alert.
Rosencrans was found at a Walmart store in Rifle shortly before 10 p.m. Thursday.
Haskin was found about 6:45 a.m. near the Walmart armed with a gun.
When law enforcement ordered him to drop the weapon, Haskin shot himself instead of surrendering, Rifle police said.
Haskin was taken to a hospital where he was later pronounced dead.
Police from Rifle and Grand Junction, sheriff’s offices in Mesa and Garfield counties and the FBI are investigating Haskin’s death.
The Amber Alert issued in Rosencrans’ disappearance has been canceled. Haskin is Rosencrans’ stepfather.
Rifle is on Interstate 70 about 60 miles east of Grand Junction.
The Grand Junction Police Department has obtained an arrest warrant for Haskin, who faces one count of second-degree kidnapping in the disappearance of Rosencrans.
According to court records, Haskin, a registered sex offender, has been wanted on a warrant in Grand Junction stemming from a sex assault on a child since Feb. 1.
Rosencrans was last seen about 3 p.m. Wednesday walking home from school with a friend after being dropped off by the school bus in the area of D 1/2 Road and Larry’s Meadow.
Witnesses said Raeanna entered a car willingly. The vehicle was recovered in Rifle.