Photo: Diego Velasquez-Espino (DeSoto County Jail photo)
A Southaven man is in custody accused of aggravated kidnapping after the disappearance in Memphis of a 14-year old girl resulting in an Amber Alert.
Diego Velasquez-Espino, age 19 of Southaven, is being held in the DeSoto County Adult Detention Center. Velasquez/Espino is charged with kidnapping and being a fugitive from justice in a case that originated in Memphis.
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation issued the Amber Alert when the teenage girl was abducted by an armed man wearing a ski mask in the area of Parkway Village.
A #TNAMBERAlert has been issued on behalf of the Memphis Police Department for 14-year-old Genesis Rodriguez.
She was last seen tonight in the area of Knightway Road in Memphis wearing a black jacket, a plaid black/white shirt, and black boots. pic.twitter.com/tePdk1wpgR
— Tennessee Bureau of Investigation (@TBInvestigation) February 22, 2025
The girl was later found on Stateline Road with help from the Southaven Police and U.S. Marshals Service.
Bob Bakken provides content for DeSoto County News and its social media channels. He is an award-winning broadcaster, along with being a reporter and photographer, and has done sports media relations work with junior and minor league hockey teams. Along with his reports on this website, you will find this veteran media member providing sports updates and high school football play-by-play on Rebel 95.3 FM Radio.
