April 24, 2024 6:00 a.m.

The suspect in an Amber Alert issued Monday night died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound along Interstate 5 just north of Eugene on Tuesday afternoon.

A release from Oregon State Police said the alert was issued just after 11:30 p.m. Monday at the request of the Washington State Patrol. It was in response to the murder of two women in West Richland, Washington and the kidnapping of a 1-year-old infant, Roman Santos. The suspect was identified as 39-year-old Elias Huizar, a former Yakima police officer. The victims were Huizar’s ex-wife, and a teen believed to be the suspect’s girlfriend.

At approximately 2:40 p.m. Tuesday OSP troopers were observing Interstate 5 watching for Huizar when his vehicle was located heading southbound about five miles north of Brownsville. Two troopers engaged in a pursuit with the suspect at high speeds.

Near the Harrisburg/Junction City interchange there was a minor collision when Huizar lost control of his sedan. An exchange of gunfire occurred prior to the vehicle fleeing again, still headed southbound. About a mile north of the Beltline interchange, the suspect’s vehicle crashed into a parked commercial motor vehicle and stopped in the median. As troopers contacted the suspect vehicle, the man was already deceased from the gun shot wound. The infant was located uninjured and was removed from the sedan.

Involved in the exchange of gunfire was OSP Superintendent Casey Codding and OSP Sergeant Orly Johnson. The Lane County Sheriff’s Office has been asked to lead the investigation.