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Amish woman uses weed whacker to scare off illegal migrant allegedly threatening to kidnap her at knifepoint

By Ella Morrison3 min readNew York Post
Amish woman uses weed whacker to scare off illegal migrant allegedly threatening to kidnap her at knifepointAmish woman uses weed whacker to scare off illegal migrant allegedly threatening to kidnap her at knifepoint

An Amish woman in Pennsylvania used a weed whacker to scare off an armed illegal migrant allegedly trying to kidnap her.

A brave Amish woman used a weed whacker to scare off an illegal migrant who allegedly tried to kidnap her at knifepoint while was doing yard work in Pennsylvania, according to local reports and the DHS.

Junior Jose Davila-Moran, 26, allegedly approached the 23-year-old woman from behind with a large knife and black handcuffs while she was weed whacking in her front yard in Lancaster County on Oct. 14., Local 12 News reported. 

The knife-wielding migrant allegedly tried to handcuff the woman and claimed that everything would be okay if she complied.

A worker using a trimmer to cut grass in a green yard at sunset.
The Amish woman used a weed whacker to scare off the illegal migrant. davit85 – stock.adobe.com

In response, the quick-thinking woman started screaming and revved the weed whacker’s motor as she took a step toward the armed nutjob while screaming, which scared him away, according to an affidavit obtained by the local station. 

An Amish buggy travels along a rural road past a white farm in Pennsylvania.
The alleged kidnapping occured in Lancaster County, PA on Oct. 14. AFP via Getty Images

Davila-Moran reportedly ran behind the woman’s wooden barn and quickly disappeared from the Sadsbury Township property.

The woman reportedly ran to a nearby neighbor’s house to call the cops, who later observed disturbed vegetation near the barn where Davila-Moran ran past, the outlet reported.

Police tracked down Davila-Moran through his truck — registered to his father — which was picked up on footage from a neighbor’s camera and a witness.

However, cops said the description of the knife-wielding suspect matched Davila-Moran — which was confirmed by the Amish woman in a photo line-up.

After seeing a picture of Davila-Moran, the woman said, “This photograph makes me tremble,” the station reported, citing police.

Pennsylvania State Police patrol vehicles parked outside.
The suspect was taken into custody on Oct. 16, Pennsylvania State Police confirmed. WNEP

She described Davila-Moran’s knife as a long serrated blade, roughly six to eight inches long.

Davila-Moran, a Guatemalan national, is in the US illegally, a spokesperson for the Department of Homeland Security confirmed to The Post. 

He was arrested by Border Patrol agents in Donna, Texas in January 2018 after he entered the country illegally but was transferred to Office of Refugee Resettlement custody as he was a juvenile, DHS said. 

The illegal migrant was taken into custody on Oct. 16 in relation to the attempted kidnapping, Pennsylvania State Police confirmed.

Amish woman working in the garden
After seeing a picture of Davila-Moran, the woman said, “This photograph makes me tremble,” the station reported, citing police. Mike – stock.adobe.com

He was slapped with a slew of charges in connection with the alleged kidnapping attempt — including terroristic threats with the intent to terrorize another, possession of an instrument of crime, simple assault, false imprisonment, kidnap to inflict injury or terror and kidnap to facilitate felony. 

Davila-Moran was booked into the Lancaster County Jail and Immigration and Customs Enforcement placed a detainer for him.

“The safest way to arrest and remove criminal illegal aliens from our streets is by lodging arrest detainers. 7 of the top 10 safest cities in the United States cooperate with ICE,” the DHS spokesperson said. 

“Under President Trump and Secretary Mullin, our message is clear: criminal illegal aliens are not welcome in our country.”