KNOXVILLE, Tenn.—The Federal Bureau of Investigation has released suspect descriptions in the kidnapping and extortion plot involving the CEO of Y-12 Federal Credit Union and his family.
Last month authorities reported that Y-12 CEO Mark Ziegler and his family were held hostage in their home as part of an attempted robbery and extortion attempt. According to the FBI, at approximately 8:15 a.m. April 28, Ziegler and his family were confronted at their home in West Knoxville by the three suspects as part of an attempt to obtain money from the credit union’s Oak Ridge, Tenn. branch. According to the FBI, the family members were released about 9:25 a.m. in the parking lot of Gettysvue Country Club, which is four miles north of the Ziegler's home.
The FBI has reported they are seeking two men and a woman. The first male suspect is white, possibly in his late 20s, standing 5-feet-9 to 5-feet-11 inches tall. He weighs 170 to 190 pounds with a thin build, according to an FBI release. He is described as having salt-and-pepper black hair and at the time of the incident was wearing a black hat, black hoodie, black cargo pants, black bandanna and dark sunglasses. He has a tattoo on his neck containing orange ink.
The second male suspect is said to have a medium skin tone and is possibly in his late 30s. He is 5-feet-10 to 6-feet tall and weighs 200 to 220 pounds with a stocky build. He has a shaved head and was wearing a black long sleeve T-shirt, black cargo pants and a black bandanna.
The female suspect, according to the FBI, is white with a pale complexion, possibly in her 30s. She is 5-feet-7 to 5-feet-9 with long black hair that may have been a wig.
Marshall Stone, supervisory special agent for the FBI’s Knoxville office, told CUToday.info that descriptions of the suspects have been delayed due to the experiences of the victims during the crime.
“They were blindfolded at times, they had guns pointed at them, and in a critical incident such as this it is often not easy to get detailed descriptions,” explained Stone. “But during the investigation we have been able to develop descriptions and can now get them out. Hopefully they will help in locating these criminals.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Knoxville FBI at 865-544-0751 or the Knox County Sheriff’s Office at 865-215-2444.