Family: Washington Co. Woman Abducted At Gunpoint By Husband Is Dead

WEST FINLEY TOWNSHIP (KDKA/AP) – Nearly 24 hours after authorities say a Washington County woman was allegedly abducted at gunpoint by her husband, her family says she is dead.

It all comes after law enforcement officials, including the SWAT team, swarmed the area of Walnut Valley Road in West Finley Township late Tuesday night reportedly in search of the suspect, Kevin Ewing. Officials converged on the area around 9 p.m. and began pulling back just before 11 p.m.

A source told KDKA's Ralph Iannotti that the search "did not end well."

According to Pennsylvania State Police, 48-year-old Tierne Ewing, Kevin's estranged wife, was abducted from a home on Blockhouse Run Road in West Finley Township around 12:35 a.m. Tuesday.

KDKA's Ralph Iannotti reports that Tierne's father says he was told by authorities of his daughter's death just before 11 p.m.

Kevin Ewing was transported by medical helicopter to a hospital in Pittsburgh, reportedly suffering from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound.

Tierne's father, Richard Kopko, said he blames the judge who released his daughter's husband from jail following his arrest last month.

Kevin Ewing, 47, is believed to have taken his wife at gunpoint.

"We do believe, or have reason to believe at this point, that there are weapons involved," said State Police Trooper Stefani Lucas. "She was kidnapped, for lack of a better term, at gunpoint; so, we definitely do want anyone whether its civilians, law enforcement, whatever the case may be, definitely be careful as far as approaching him or anything like that because we do believe he still has those weapons with him."

The couple were believed to be traveling in a gray 2016 Hyundai Veloster.

But just before 11 a.m., police confirmed that they had found the vehicle near a wooded area along Old Brick Road in Washington Township.

"It was just located in a wooded area that they had received previous information and we just happened to be searching at that time. So they do have that vehicle," Trooper Lucas said.

Police then began searching the area on the ground with dogs and by air.

In July, Kevin was arrested for allegedly holding his wife hostage, abusing her and threatening her after finding text messages on her phone.

On July 8, Ewing brought his wife, Tierne, to the Chrome Federal Credit Union in Washington. He remained outside in a pickup truck while his wife entered the bank to make a transaction.

Once inside, she asked an employee for help.

Police were called and took Kevin Ewing into custody. Police found a rifle and a handgun in the vehicle and a knife on Ewing.

Tierne Ewing told investigators that Kevin allegedly pistol-whipped her, spit on her, tied her hands, branded her with a metal hot dog stick and locked her in a closet. Police say he then took her camping in the woods, where he's accused of putting a gun to her head and threatening her.

He was then released from the Washington County Jail after posting $100,000 bond.

Police say Ewing had been wearing an ankle bracelet that police say he had cut off, but no alarm was sent back to the device monitoring him. Also, a condition of his bond was that he stay at home.

In addition to the long list of serious charges Kevin Ewing is now facing, police say he is also in violation of the Protection from Abuse Order his wife had filed against him.

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In:
• Washington County
• Kidnapping