Kansas man wanted in Nebraska woman’s disappearance arrested in Belize
OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT/Gray News) - The man sought by authorities for kidnapping a 43-year-old Omaha woman who went missing the weekend before Thanksgiving has been arrested in Central America.
Douglas County Sheriff Wayne Hudson confirmed to WOWT that Aldrick Scott, 47, was arrested in Belize. Investigators had been looking for him for 18 days.
Sources had told WOWT last month that they believed Scott had plans to leave the country, possibly to Mexico. According to a Wednesday news release from the sheriff’s office, DCSO investigators learned that Scott had likely traveled by air out of the country while in Topeka working with police there.
According to the arrest warrant issued in Douglas County Court last month, Scott is wanted for kidnapping and accessory to a felony.
7 News Belize reported he was arrested Tuesday by Interpol in Caye Caulker, Belize, and is awaiting extradition. DCSO said his extradition hearing was scheduled for later this week, but WOWT learned Wednesday afternoon that Scott was already en route to Houston from the central jail in Belize City, where he spent less than 24 hours.
Scott, from Topeka, is retired military, serving a total of 20 years with both the Marine Corps and U.S. Army. Comparing his arrest photo with photos released as authorities were looking for him, it seems he attempted to change his appearance, shaving his head and trimming his beard.
Law enforcement sources told WOWT on Wednesday that it’s a good thing Scott picked Belize because that country and the United States have had an extradition treaty for more than 20 years. That means if there’s a warrant for something serious — and kidnapping fits that — there’s very little that stands in the way of returning the fugitive.
Scott was arrested around noon Tuesday. He’s already on his way to Houston and eventually to Nebraska, where he will face charges.
But it’s not clear yet how long it might take to get him in Nebraska. Getting him to the U.S. is the easy part. At some point, there will be an extradition hearing in Houston with a judge and attorneys.
If Scott waives extradition, he would end up in the Douglas County Jail in a matter of days. If not, then it’s a much lengthier process usually involving a governor’s warrant. If that happens, the county attorney would get Gov. Pete Ricketts to sign the warrant that would be given to Texas Gov. Greg Abbott in order to get permission to take custody of Scott.
Those circumstances played out here earlier this year when an Omaha man accused of killing his grandmother and great-grandmother was arrested in Des Moines. In that case, the Douglas County Attorney had to issue a governor’s warrant — and it took two months before the suspect was back in Nebraska.
The Douglas County Sheriff’s Office is still working to find Cari Allen as their investigation continues.
Allen was last seen Saturday, Nov. 19, near her west Omaha home. Since that time, authorities have conducted searches at a home in Topeka, Kansas, and at a landfill in Bennington, Nebraska.
Search teams were also seen in Omaha, just a few blocks from Allen’s home, where crime technicians also towed Allen’s car out of her garage. A search was also conducted at an underpass in Omaha.
Allen spent 11 years working for VODEC, a nonprofit helping adults with developmental disabilities. She works as a shared-living provider, opening up her home to those who need it.
Anyone with information about Allen’s whereabouts is asked to contact the DCSO tip line at 402-444-6000.
During the course of the investigation so far, DCSO has been aided by the Topeka Police Department, Shawnee County Sheriff’s Office, Metro Fugitive Task Force, the United States Marshals Service, the Nebraska State Patrol and the Omaha Police Department.
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Investigative Reporter Mike McKnight and Digital Director Gina Dvorak contributed to this report.
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