Missing Calif. teen safe, accused kidnapper killed

Natalie DiBlasio and Gary Strauss | USA TODAY

California murder and kidnapping suspect James DiMaggio was fatally shot by an FBI agent and missing teen Hannah Anderson was found safe, San Diego Sheriff Bill Gore said late Saturday.

DiMaggio was shot and killed by an FBI tactical agentat the north end of idaho's Morehead Lake at around 4:20 p.m. PT. Hannah, 16, was with DiMaggio and was rescued safely.

Hannah's father, Brett Anderson, described a range of emotion in a text message to CNN, AP reported early Sunday.

"I am nervous excited saddened 4 my wife and son and worried what my daughter has been through," he wrote to the network. "It's now healing time. Keep us in your prayers."

"It truly was a joint effort, and I am pleased to stand here today and say that Hannah was successfully rescued and appears to be in pretty good shape," Gore said. "Obviously he's elated that we found his daughter is alive and plans are being made now to reunite him with his daughter hopefully tomorrow morning."

Hannah was taken to a hospital for evaluation before any detectives or FBI agents interviewed her. Her father said he expected to be reunited with his daughter today, he said.

FBI victim specialists are now working with Hannah and her family to get them the resources they need as they come to terms with the tragedy, FBI Special Agent Mary Rook said. "As grateful as we are that she is recovered safely, we also remember the victims who lost their lives."

A campsite was spotted from the air and ground units were sent into the area, which lead to the confrontation, shooting and killing of DiMaggio, Gore said.

"Obviously we would've liked Mr. DiMaggio to surrender and face justice in the court of law but that's not going to be the case," Gore said.

The intense manhunt and multi-state Amber Alert began a week ago Sunday.

The San Diego Sheriff's Department says it appears that DiMaggio, 40, kidnapped Hannah after killing her mother, Christina Anderson, and her younger brother, Ethan, last weekend. Their bodies were found in DiMaggio's burning California home near the Mexican border.

An Amber Alert was initially issued for both children, but on Friday night, the San Diego County Sheriff's Department confirmed that the remains found in the home matched the DNA of Ethan, 8.

DiMaggio's Nissan Versa, covered with brush and missing its California license plates, was found about five miles from a trailhead into the area Friday morning. Authorities had suspected the car may have been booby-trapped, but no explosives were found in or around the vehicle by a Boise Police Department bomb squad.

The discovery of his car came two days after a man on horseback reported seeing DiMaggio and 16-year-old Hannah in hiking gear and backpacks. Idaho authorities say the rider didn't realize the pair were being sought until he got home and recognized them on news reports.

Some 200 law enforcement officials — mostly FBI agents — had descended on a 320-square-mile area of the Frank Church-River of No Return Wilderness Area, a mostly roadless, rugged, heavily wooded forest in central Idaho about 70 miles northeast of Boise.

Teams from the Valley County and Ada County Sheriff's departments, U.S Marshals Service, Homeland Security, Border Patrol, Idaho Army National Guard and Idaho State Police were part of the search-and-rescue operations, according to Andrea Dearden, an Ada County Sheriff's Department spokeswoman.

Authorities said DiMaggio was "infatuated" with Hannah.

Hannah's father said earlier this week that DiMaggio had promised to watch over his family and that his kids had referred to him as "Uncle Jim."

Contributing: Associated Press