A disturbing incident unfolded in Grant, Minnesota, where a family was reportedly kidnapped and held hostage at gunpoint for several hours by two brothers from Texas. The suspects, Raymond Christian Garcia, 23, and Isiah Angelo Garcia, 24, face multiple serious charges, including three counts of kidnapping, three counts of first-degree burglary, and one count of first-degree aggravated robbery.
The chain of events began on September 19, when a frantic call was made to 911 at approximately 4:45 p.m. A family member reported that he and his relatives were being held hostage in their home. According to the details outlined in the criminal complaint, the nightmare began early that morning when one of the victims was taking out the garbage around 7:45 a.m. The two brothers allegedly ambushed him, forcing him back into the garage and restraining him with zip ties. They then proceeded to awaken two other family members, binding them as well.
Raymond Garcia reportedly brandished an AR-15-style rifle, holding the 911 caller and his mother captive for nine hours. Reports indicate that the upstairs bedroom door had to be cut open to rescue the hostages, as it had been tied shut with wire. Meanwhile, Isiah Garcia, armed with a shotgun, coerced one of the victims into accessing his cryptocurrency wallet, resulting in the transfer of more than $36,000 to an untraceable account.
As the situation unfolded, Isiah Garcia learned of additional cryptocurrency stored at the family’s cabin in Jacobson, Minnesota. He forced the victim to drive three hours to the cabin, where they executed a second transfer of cryptocurrency valued at over $36,000. The complaint noted that the victim suspected a data breach had exposed his crypto account information, which may have been exploited by the brothers.
Throughout the ordeal, the suspects kept in contact with an unknown third party who appeared to direct their actions. After eventually managing to call 911, the victim described a harrowing escape just as law enforcement began closing in. Multiple police vehicles passed Isiah Garcia, who then stopped the truck, fled on foot, and allegedly discarded the shotgun in a nearby field. Meanwhile, Raymond Garcia was captured on surveillance video fleeing the residence.
Authorities later recovered an AR-15 rifle in a suitcase found in a tree line behind the house. The investigation into the incident revealed that Isiah Garcia had rented a car near Houston, Texas, prior to the crime and the vehicle’s GPS data indicated it was near the victim’s home. The brothers were apprehended in Texas shortly after the crime; Isiah Garcia was taken into custody while driving the rental car, and Raymond Garcia later approached authorities, claiming his AR-15 had been stolen.
As the news of this violent home invasion spread, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office issued a shelter-in-place order while they pursued the suspects, resulting in the cancellation of a scheduled high school homecoming football game in Mahtomedi. Both men remain in custody in Texas as the investigation continues, raising concerns over cryptocurrency theft and home invasion crimes in the area.
