Only on 13: Dad of woman who escaped ex-boyfriend reveals she and the ex haven't dated for years
SPLENDORA, Texas (KTRK) -- A woman who police say was kidnapped by her ex-boyfriend is shaken but safe a day after her quick thinking allowed her to escape her captor's clutches at a Splendora gas station.
It was there that the ex, whom Montgomery County authorities identified on Wednesday as 52-year-old Melvin Porter, was confronted on Tuesday night by Houston Police officers who shot him to death when it appeared he was reaching for a weapon and was ignoring commands.
Police also said Porter kidnapped the woman's employee before she offered to take the employee's place.
ABC13 learned Porter has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1991. He was charged with attempted murder in 1994 and sentenced to 10 years behind bars.
Most recently, on June 6, he was arrested in Louisiana after officers found a two-pound brick of cocaine during a traffic stop. A judge set his bond at $250,000.
Since the ordeal came to an end, Eyewitness News has learned more details about Porter and the victim's relationship. The woman and her father spoke only to ABC13 on Wednesday.
ORIGINAL STORY: Man accused of kidnapping ex and coworker shot to death by HPD in Splendora, police say
The couple's history
Albert Barnes, the kidnapped woman's father, described the couple's relationship in recent years as professional.
"They dated for quite a while, but from what I understand, they haven't dated in six or seven years," Barnes said, adding that his daughter, who owns a safety environmental service provider company, allowed Porter to work with her.
Up until chaos unfolded on Tuesday, Barnes wasn't aware that they had any problems with each other.
How the kidnapping happened
The victim, whom ABC13 isn't identifying for this story, said Porter became jealous and aggressive on Monday when he arrived at her workplace. She told him to leave.
The very next day, she says, Porter showed up at another location of her business and kidnapped one of her employees at gunpoint.
According to police, the ex-girlfriend made a deal to exchange herself for the co-worker. Porter let the employee go and took his ex.
While on the phone with the police, the ex-girlfriend asked Porter to pull over at a Shell gas station on the Eastex Freeway so she could run to the bathroom, knowing officers were close by.
In a matter of seconds, four officers opened fire on Porter.
A father angered
Like any parent whose child was put through a dangerous situation, Barnes didn't hold back on what he thought of Porter.
"(I would) put my hands on him and give him what he deserves myself," Barnes told Eyewitness News. "I asked if she was alright because you don't expect this (expletive) to happen...Yeah, she was shaken up."
Despite his fury, Barnes was glad that she is back home, safe and sound.
While Barnes' daughter escaped unharmed, Houston police have already counted 46 homicides related to domestic violence, which is an uptick from the 42 reported at this time last year.
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