BEAUMONT, Texas — A 48-year-old Silsbee man has been charged with kidnapping a Silsbee woman at gunpoint from outside her home in late March.
Delton Charles Elam, Jr., 48, of Silsbee, is facing a first degree felony charge of aggravated kidnapping with a deadly weapon in Hardin County. Silsbee Police investigated the case.
He is currently in the Hardin County jail where his bond has not yet been set.
Elam is accused of accosting a Silsbee woman outside her home at about 6:30 p.m. on Friday, March 22, 2024.
The woman told Silsbee Police that when she got home and went to her door Elam walked up behind her with a gun in her hand according to a probable cause affidavit in the case.
He told her not to draw any attention or he would shoot her so she started to walk backwards towards him according to the affidavit.
She then tried to run from him but told police that he then pointed the gun at her and forced her into a car.
While he drove toward Beaumont, she tried to get out of the car in Lumberton, at the intersection of North Main and East Chance Cutoff according to the affidavit.
She stopped when Elam held up the gun and told her he could shoot her faster than she could get out of the car.
As they drove through Beaumont, Elam told her that he wanted her to shoot him and set the gun next to her according to the affidavit.
She told police that she put the gun on the floorboard, rolled down the window and then threw the gun out the window as they took the U.S. Highway 96 exit to head toward Port Arthur.
Elam then drove back around three or four times to look for the gun but was not able to find it she told police.
After stopping at a gas station to get a beer he started driving her back towards SIlsbee the affidavit said.
He then stopped the car again, this time at a gas station along U.S. Highway 96 at Tram Rd in Beaumont. This time the woman was able to go inside and lock herself in a bathroom the affidavit said.
She then called her mom, telling her that Elam had kidnapped her and threatened to kill her. By now it was about 8:40 p.m.
Beaumont Police officers were then able to find her and take a statement from her.
By 10:30 p.m., she had gone to the Silsbee Police Department to make a statement to investigators there.
Two days later Elam made a statement to investigators in Silsbee but when he was asked to take a polygraph he refused and then told investigators he didn't want to talk to them about the case any longer.
The woman told police that she was willing to take a polygraph test according to the affidavit.
Investigators then decided to charge Elam.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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