From Lt. David Mitchell, Iron County Sheriff’s Office
Revised 3/12/25 @ 1:54PM
On March 8, 2025, at approximately 1:22 PM, the Iron County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a report of a suspicious situation at the Cedar Bands Travel Plaza. A female customer informed them that an adult Hispanic female had handed her a note indicating she was in trouble. The note mentioned that the male driving the vehicle was taking her either to Salt Lake City or Denver and had made threats of harm.
The female passenger explained to the employee that they were driving a white Chevrolet Equinox with a Nevada license plate. As the vehicle left the Cedar Bands Travel Plaza, the employee followed it in her personal car as it traveled northbound on Interstate 15. When the Equinox approached Cedar City, deputies conducted a traffic stop. Upon approaching the vehicle’s passenger side and requesting identification from the female passenger, she mouthed the words, “HELP ME.”
The victim, a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada, was wearing a uniform from Treasure Island and reported that she had been abused. She explained that the male suspect was supposed to take her to work in Las Vegas that day but instead had driven north. She stated that her cell phone had been taken away and that she was being held against her will by the male suspect, who she had been living with for 25 years. He suspected her of cheating.
An officer from the Cedar City Police Department arrived to assist with translation. At the same time, a Utah Highway Patrol Trooper came to help with a fingerprint scanner to verify the identity of the suspect, identified as 53-year-old Epigmenio Bustillo-Marquez, a resident of Las Vegas, Nevada. Bustillo Marquez claimed they were traveling to Salt Lake City to visit cousins; however, deputies discovered that the suspects family lived in St. George. Epigmenio Bustillo-Marquez, born on July 28, 1971, was arrested and transported to the Iron County Correctional Facility.
CHARGES:
Aggravated Kidnapping, Assault, providing peace officers false personal info, Interruption of communication device, prohibited use of identification card, Operating without a license