Serving the High Plains
Serving the High Plains
CLOVIS — The man arrested Monday for killing two Texico women had called the FBI last October and threatened to “murder a bunch of children” if they didn’t help find his missing daughter.
The FBI made contact with Alek Isaiah Collins and he was placed in a mental facility at that time. Collins told agents he “does not want to kill people” but felt the threat was the only way “in getting the FBI to assist him.”
The information is included in an affidavit for arrest warrant filed in 9th Judicial Court last Tuesday against Alex Isaiah Collins.
Collins, 26, of Manvel, Texas, is accused of killing two women, critically injuring a 5-year-old child and kidnapping a 10-month-old girl on Friday at Ned Houk Park north of Clovis.
He was captured last Monday in Abilene, Texas, and jailed there.
District Attorney Quentin Ray said Tuesday it’s not clear whether Collins ever had a missing daughter.
His mental health and criminal history were being reviewed by investigators.
The affidavit also provided detailed information about how authorities were able to locate Collins and the missing girl in Abilene last Monday.
Police obtained records for all cellphones in the area of Ned Houk Park at the approximate time of the slayings. Among the cell numbers found was one belonging to Collins’, whose cell was also found to be at the Dollar Tree in Clovis about the same time the victims had been there.
While searching video of area businesses, police observed a maroon-colored Honda that appeared to have a broken side mirror at a McDonald’s restaurant. Police had found a piece of a broken mirror belonging to a maroon Honda at the crime scene. Clovis Deputy Police Chief Trevor Thron said authorities believe one mirror was broken at Ned Houk Park, while another was broken before the killings.
Then police traced the license plate to a rental agency and soon learned Collins had rented it on April 21. It was supposed to have been returned on April 23 but was not.
The vehicle had a GPS monitoring system on it, and police began tracking its location.
The arrest affidavit showed the vehicle was at Ned Houk Park at 4:30 p.m., about the time police believe the slayings took place.
The vehicle left Ned Houk Park at 4:38 p.m. and began traveling through Texas, ultimately to Abilene, the GPS data showed.
The affidavit did not address Collins’ connection to the house in Abilene where he was captured and the baby was found. It also did not offer any information about where Collins may have been in the days prior to being in Clovis.
Collins told police he took the baby but did not admit to the slayings.
Authorities found a 9-mm Glock at the scene. The affidavit shows five 9-mm shell casings were found near the victims at Ned Houk Park.