Husband Offers Thanks for Support of Abducted Wife

Gary Loskot, whose wife Eileen was abducted during a staged car accident and then robbed early Thursday morning, speaks to the media after he and his wife arrived back at their home late Friday.

"We're just grateful to be home and that she's safe and just relieved with everything," Gary said. "[We] just wanted to express our thanks to the law enforcement, the Double Oak police, the Denton County Sheriff, the Texas Rangers and DPS and everybody involved. We appreciate all the work and effort they put into this and also the support of our family and friends here. We appreciate everything. We just want some time to just be grateful for what we have."

The Loskot's arrived back at home shortly after 10 p.m. to a crowd of family and friends who cheered and applauded as they pulled down their street and into the driveway.

A short time later, Gary came out to address the media while his wife, Eileen, remained inside their home.

"It's just great to have it all over with," Gary said, before retreating into the arms of friends and neighbors.

Loskot Freed After Being Locked in Truck for 14 Hours

One person has been arrested and two others have turned themselves in to police after the abduction and robbery of 54-year-old Eileen Loskot early Thursday morning. Loskot was released from her captors only after being taken more than 500 miles from home.

Double Oak police chief Derrick Watson said during a news conference early Friday morning that the trio approached Loskot when she was only a few blocks from home following a minor crash that was believed to have been staged to get Loskot to pull over.  

Loskot was then forced to make several withdrawals from area ATMs and to drive two of the three men to New Mexico. After withdrawing the money, Texas Rangers said the men forced Loskot into the trunk of her own car where she spent the next 14 hours. Once they arrived in New Mexico, the two men got out of the car and let Loskot go free.

For nearly 24 hours there was no word from Loskot until she called her husband from Santa Rosa, New Mexico, overnight Friday. She said she had been freed and was dehydrated, according to the Texas Rangers, but otherwise OK. 

Alone, she then started on her long journey back to DFW. Texas State Troopers were waiting along I-40 in Vega, Texas, and at 11:47 p.m. spotted Loskot's car. Trooper Mark Lancaster was the first officer to talk to Loskot.

During a news conference Friday afternoon, Lancaster said Loskot wasn't crying but seemed stressed and traumatized and told him she wanted to get home to see her husband and take a shower. Loskot told investigators she was not physically or sexually assaulted during the ordeal.

Troopers escorted Loskot to Amarillo where she was examined at a local hospital. A source with the Texas Rangers confirmed that she is OK, but understandably shaken.

The Texas Rangers said 23-year-old Matthew Aaron Casaus, was taken into custody in North Texas early Friday morning. Casaus, who is a convicted sex offender and spent time in a prison in New Mexico, has ties to Albuquerque.  He was arrested and booked into the Denton County jail after being pulled over for a traffic violation earlier in the evening.  Investigators linked him to the crime, but due to the ongoing investigation didn't reveal specifics.

Rangers said two other men, Nathaniel Williams, 17, and Edward Muckelroy, Jr., 19, turned themselves in to Albuquerque police on Friday morning. They have since been turned over to the FBI and both men have retained legal counsel.

All three men face state charges of aggravated kidnapping, a first degree felony punishable by at least five years in prison.

Woman Goes Missing

Trying to wrap up a project before leaving on vacation, Loskot didn't leave her job at Brodnax Printing until about 1 a.m. Thursday.

Due to the late hour, a co-worker carried boxes for her while escorting her to her car.  Loskot then left and that was the last any of her co-workers saw of her.

When she didn't arrive at home, police began a search for her 2004 red Infiniti G35 coupe. A short time later, Loskot made a call to her home phone and left a message. On that message, police said three voices could be heard telling Loskot they needed to go to an ATM to get some money.

Around 2:45 a.m. Loskot was caught on security cameras making three withdrawals at an ATM in Cedar Hill.

Investigators said they believe the people who abducted her may have rear-ended her on her way home, and that that is when they kidnapped her.

NBCDFW's Omar Villafranca, Randy McIlwain and Greg Janda contributed to this report.

Previous coverage:
Raw Video: Husband of Abducted Woman Speaks
Raw Video: Kidnapping Victim Arrives Home
Video: Friends & Family Brought to Tears Over Woman's Return
Video: "She's a True Survivor" Trooper Mark Lancaster
Video: Kidnapping Victim Released in New Mexico
Video: Prayers Answered in Double Oak
Video: Co-Workers Speak Highly of Missing Woman
Video: Dallas Police: Kidnapping Victim Visited ATM

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