Abducted girl released after police chase

A 13-YEAR-OLD girl who was abducted after a man broke into her family’s home and killed her parents was released unharmed after a police chase yesterday morning, authorities said.

The FBI was trying to negotiate the surrender of suspect Robert Lee Hixson, 42, believed to be kidnap victim Hadley Bilger’s uncle, FBI spokeswoman Linda Vizi said. He was still in his vehicle, surrounded by officers near Reading, yesterday.

“At some point, Hixson stopped the car and let her out. She is with the police,” Vizi said.

Hixson allegedly shot and killed his wife’s brother, Myron Bilger, and Bilger’s wife, Ellen, after breaking into the family’s Pocono Lake home at about 9.20pm on Saturday, according to police and the FBI. The couple’s five-year-old daughter was also home at the time and ran to the house of a relative, who alerted authorities, police said. A statewide Amber Alert was issued for her older sister, Hadley.

The girls’ father identified Hixson as the shooter before he died, said Pocono Mountain Regional Police Detective Harry Lewis. Police declined to comment on a possible motive, but said they did not think an argument preceded the shooting.

“There was no communication, from what I understand. He broke in,” said Detective Michael Robson. He said Hixson was believed to still have the shotgun allegedly used in the slayings with him.