LANCASTER COUNTY — Police have arrested three people and are searching for another in an alleged kidnapping and robbery case that occurred on Nov. 14 in Manheim Township.
Jordan J. Yost, 24, no fixed address, is wanted for his involvement in the incident, which began with a dispute over Yost’s use of the victim’s car. Yost is charged with Kidnapping, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Robbery of Motor Vehicle, Theft By Unlawful Taking, Unlawful Restraint, and Terroristic Threats, according to Manheim Township Police.
The suspects in custody are:
- Paul Howard Stauffer III, 32, no fixed address: Charged with Kidnapping, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping, Aggravated Assault, Robbery, Receiving Stolen Property, Terroristic Threats, and Unlawful Restraint. He is currently in Lancaster County Prison on $1,000,000 bail
- Steven Earle Cornelius, 30, no fixed address: Charged with Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Terroristic Threats, Simple Assault, and Unlawful Restraint. He is currently being held in Lancaster County Prison on $500,000 bail.
- Kieffer Shayla Napolitan, 27, no fixed address: Charged with Robbery, Criminal Conspiracy to Commit Robbery, Terroristic Threats, Simple Assault, and Unlawful Restraint. She is currently being held in Lancaster County Prison on $500,000 bail.
According to police, the incident began at 11:22 a.m. on Nov. 14 in the parking lot of a Walmart store on the 2000 block of Fruitville Pike. The victim, a 40-year-old male, allegedly got into a dispute with Yost over Yost’s use of the victim’s vehicle. Yost is accused of pulling a handgun on the victim, forcing him into the vehicle against his will, and driving the victim to a location in Lancaster, where Yost met Stauffer, an acquaintance.
Police say Yost and Stauffer repeatedly beat and pistol-whipped the victim, while videotaping the incident. A third person — known to police, but yet to be charged — also participated in the beatings, police say.
After several hours, Yost took the victim’s cell phone, various pieces of jewelry, and the victim’s vehicle, police say. He left the victim with Stauffer.
On Nov. 15, police say, Stauffer forced the victim to meet with Cornelius and Napolitan, who were acquaintances of Stauffer. The three suspects forced the victim to walk to various stores in Lancaster and use his state-issued electronic benefits transfer access card to obtain food and money for illegal drugs, according to police.
Later that evening, police say, Stauffer, Cornelius, and Napolitan forced the victim to board and Red Rose Transit bus with them and ride to Columbia, where they forced him back into his apartment and continued to hold him against his will. Inside the apartment, police say, Stauffer, Cornelius and Napolitan stole items from the victim, and recorded themselves beating the victim while threatening him by holding a knife to his face and a paintball gun to his head.
On the morning of Nov. 16, police say, Stauffer, Cornelius and Napolitan attempted to extort money from the victim’s family by demanding they pay for his release. The alleged extortion occurred while the suspects and the victim were seated in a vehicle near the victim’s house, police say. While they were in the vehicle, they were observed by a member of the Columbia Borough Police, who was on a routine patrol. The suspects and the victim returned to the victim’s apartment, where they were taken into custody by Columbia Police, who performed a welfare check on the victim and determined the victim was being held against his will.
The victim was taken to an area hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries after Stauffer, Cornelius and Napolitan were taken into custody, police say.
The suspects were taken to Central Arraignment, where they failed to post bail and were remanded to Lancaster County Prison.
A warrant for Yost’s arrest has been issued, and he remains a wanted person at this time, police say. Anyone with information on his whereabouts is asked to contact Manheim Township Police at (717) 569-6401.
