Deaths of Ind. Amber Alert Children Ruled Homicides; Man's Body Found in Woods: Pros.

The deaths of two children who were the subject of an Indiana Amber Alert Monday have been ruled homicides and may be connected to a third homicide after a man's body was found in a rural wooded area, authorities confirmed Tuesday.

The statewide alert was issued for 7-year-old Liliana Hernandez and 6-year-old Rene Pasztor Monday morning and were believed to be "in extreme danger," police said.

Karen Richards, of the Allen County Prosecutor's Office and Curtis Hill, of the Elkhart Prosecutor's Office, said during a press conference that an investigation was ongoing but the body of Frank Macomber, 66, was found in a wooded area of Allen County. Macomber died from a gunshot wound, Richards said.

An investigation was ongoing but Richards said there was “some type of relationship” between the children’s mother, 29-year-old Amber Pasztor, and Macomber.

“His death probably occurred before these two children were abducted by their mother,” she said.

Autopsies were scheduled for Tuesday morning after two children who were the subjects of a statewide Indiana Amber Alert Monday.

Prosecutors would not disclose the cause of death for the children but did confirm they were both homicide victims.

“It’s a senseless tragedy, there’s no such thing as a good reason to kill, but my gosh, when it becomes children,” Hills said. “The Elkhart police officer who was flagged down was traumatized when he looked into that vehicle.”

Police said Pasztor, the children’s non-custodial mother, of Fort Wayne, stopped an officer outside the Elkhart Police Department on Marion Street and said there were two dead children in the backseat of the car she was driving. The officer noticed the vehicle matched the description of the one described in an earlier Amber Alert, police said.

Asked if Pasztor gave information leading to the location of Macomber’s body, Hill said “she gave information that was helpful to the investigation, I’ll leave it at that.” He also said she had been “somewhat cooperative.”

Richards stressed the impact cases like this have on local law enforcement, especially when children are involved.

“You can close your eyes and you will see those faces for the rest of your life,” Richards said.

pasztor mug
Elkhart Police Department

Pasztor was being held on a warrant for two counts of murder and is in Elkhart County Jail.

Fort Wayne is 125 miles north of Indianapolis.

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