3 Suspects Arrested After Ex-Republican Candidate Abducted, Tortured on Christmas Eve

By Mary Anne R. First Posted: Dec 29, 2020 10:19 PM EST

Former Texas state senate candidate Vanessa Tijerina was reportedly bound, gagged, and tortured after she was ambushed at a hotel on Christmas Eve.

Three people have already been charged and arrested due to this incident. Tijerina said that she received a call from someone asking to meet at the Texas Inn in Raymondville to discuss something very important about her safety, as reported by Mediaite.

Tijerina said in a Facebook Live video that they made it seem like they had something really important to tell her and that they could not tell it on the phone.

She then added that she was terrorized, bound, gagged, and tortured. Tijerina said that her attacker stole her car, money, including her children's Christmas presents.

3 Suspect Arrested as Ex-Republican Candidate Abducted, Tortured on Christmas Eve

(Photo : Mediaite)

Her assailants informed her that if she fought back, she would not live, adding that somebody wanted it done to her face.Tijerina posted graphic photos of herself after the attack with bruises covering her face,

She then asked anyone to call Raymondville Police Department, if they have information about the incident.

Tijerina said that this was purely hate crime, adding that the person ordering the torture was not yet identified.

Authorities investigating the incident

Tijerina told investigators that she was lured to a Texas Inn in Raymondville by a woman in a black bra.

The woman identified herself as Amanda Salinas, who said that she had urgent information for Tijerina about the state of her safety.

Raymondville Police later arrested Amanda Salinas, Ariel vera, and Raymond Santana.

However, it is still unclear if those three are the only people who are connected to the assault. The former state candidate said she heard someone giving orders to the three over the phone during the attack.

But police have yet to confirm these claims for Tijerina. No further details have yet been released about their involvement or the motive.

Tijerina insisted that she did nothing wrong to deserve it, adding that she was an innocent person, as reported by the New York Post. The victim is a Republican who ran for the election to the Texas State Senate to represent District 27.

She lost in the general election on Nov. 3, 2020, the same day that the U.S. presidential election was held.

In 2016, Tijerina was a Green party candidate who sought election to the U.S. House of Representatives to represent the 15th Congressional District of Texas.

Eddie Lucio, Democrat, won against Tijerina. He garnered 134,035 votes against Tijerina's 72,768 votes.

She was then charged with having a drug paraphernalia while intoxicated with child passengers. This was on Jun. 3, 2020.

The Texas Republican Party on Sept. 4, 2020 announced that it would no longer back Tijerina as its candidate.

Tijerina said that the pipes were planted by police and said she is not concerned about the lack of support from the Texas GOP, according to Ballotpedia.

Tijerina went on to alleged that her legal troubles were part of a scheme to end her political career.