Viswa Vanapalli
The Valseca family was leading a peaceful and comfortable life in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, but one fateful morning in June 2007 changed everything for them. Eduardo Garcia Valseca was abducted while on his way back from dropping his children off at school. What followed was seven months in captivity and torture. NBC News’ ‘Dateline: The Ranch’ delves into this astonishing story of survival and how Eduardo was eventually released. So, if you’re wondering what happened to him since then, we’ve got you covered.
Who is Eduardo Valseca?
Eduardo Valseca is one of nine children of Jose Garcia Valseca, who was a newspaper magnate in Mexico at one point. He met Jayne Rager in Maryland, and the couple married in 1994. Soon, they settled in San Miguel de Allende and welcomed three children into this world. By all accounts, the loving family had a great life, making money in real estate and putting everything into the renovation of the ranch. They also started a Waldorf school in the area, the curriculum of which stresses more on art and nature.
On June 13, 2007, the family started the day like any other. Eduardo and Jayne took the children to school, but the unimaginable happened on the couple’s way back. Jayne recalled seeing a strange car at the school that followed them, and all of a sudden, the couple was boxed in when another vehicle arrived. When they stopped, one man went to Eduardo, smashed the window, and clocked him in the head with a gun. The man also had a hammer with him.
Then, another attacker pulled Jayne out, and while she struggled with him, he put a gun to her head. Eduardo and Jayne’s faces were covered. They were bound and then put into an SUV. After a point, Jayne remembered Eduardo being taken away by the men, leaving her alone in a car on a highway. Once Jayne flagged down help and called the authorities, she noticed a note addressed to her in the area where the vehicle stopped. It said that Eduardo had been kidnapped, gave her specific instructions to log into an email inbox, and asked her to wait for further instructions.
Eventually, Jayne called the federal authorities, who sent an agent to help with the negotiations. The nightmare continued over the next few months, with the kidnappers initially demanding $8 million. Since Eduardo is the son of a newspaper baron, the abductors believed he was rich. However, the Valsecas weren’t wealthy, and Jayne didn’t have that kind of money lying around.
The authorities at the time believed that Eduardo was taken by a fringe political group called the EPR and felt the negotiations could probably go on for months. That’s precisely what happened with Jayne receiving letters and photos of Eduardo. In it, he said that he was being tortured and beaten. About five months in, she learned that Eduardo had been shot in his leg, and a couple of weeks later, in his arm. Through all this, Jayne tried to gather the money required for the ransom.
Eventually, the kidnappers agreed to a deal reported to be under $1 million. They provided specific instructions to drop the money off, and two of the family’s employees carried out that job. They were driven to Mexico City, Mexico, and followed the instructions, taking the money in $100 bills in a duffel bag. But one of the men with the cash was taken since the kidnappers planned to blackmail the Valsecas again after releasing Eduardo. He was released a few months later, though, without any ransom.
About seven and a half months after being kidnapped, Eduardo returned home, a shell of the man he used to be. The kidnappers left him elsewhere and only gave him some money and food, so he had to find a way back home. Eduardo had trouble walking, weighed about 80 pounds, and had liver damage. He also suffered broken ribs in addition to bullet wounds.
Where is Eduardo Valseca Now?
While Eduardo Valseca was happy to be reunited with his family, he was shocked at his appearance, adding, “The first time that I saw myself against the mirror, and I lifted my T-shirt, I pull it back on immediately. I couldn’t believe I looked like pure bones and skin. I just–it was too much.” About his time in captivity, Eduardo said that he was kept in a box, naked, and suffered daily beatings. He wasn’t allowed to talk and could only communicate through notes, with the kidnappers blaring loud music all day.
After a point, Eduardo said, “I was not afraid of dying because I couldn’t take it anymore. It was just too much suffering, and you give up. If I had had a piece of glass or if I had had anything, I would have killed myself.” However, he endured and finally got back home with his wife and children. Soon after, they moved to the United States and initially lived at Jayne’s mother’s place.
Eventually, the authorities zeroed in on two Chilean ex-revolutionaries, Ricardo Palma Salamanca and Raul Julio Escobar Poblete, suspected of several kidnappings. Eduardo believed they were behind his abduction and said that the accent of some of the people who held him was South American. He added, “They worked like the military. Some did the kidnapping, some guarded the victims, others were in charge of communications.”
Eduardo and Jayne later raised awareness regarding the organized crime that caused issues in people’s lives in the US and Mexico. He lost Jayne in 2012 and seems to be living in Washington DC. Before her death, Jayne talked about Eduardo attending therapy to deal with his trauma. He has since maintained a low profile. While the family lived on real estate income before, it’s unclear what Eduardo currently does. But about a year ago, he talked about the ordeal and said that he has been more appreciative of the little things he was deprived of back then.
Read More: How Did Jayne Valseca Die?
