Editor’s note: Carbondale Police use the term “survivor,” rather than alleged victim. The use of “survivor” in this article does not imply that the alleged suspect is guilty.
After nearly two years, the Carbondale Police Department (CPD) has identified a potential suspect in an alleged sexual assault case that shook the town’s sense of security. The suspect, however, was just recently removed from the U.S. to El Salvador, making the next steps in the local case somewhat unclear.
The Carbondale Police announced a breakthrough in the case on Friday afternoon, Sept. 5, that a recent development relayed by the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) led to identifying Numan Enoc Santos-Amaya (DOB: Nov. 12, 1996) as a potential suspect.
The allegations in the case are that on Nov. 2, 2024, the suspect sexually assaulted an elderly Carbondale resident after having broken into her home. On Nov. 4, 2024, 300 people gathered at the Old Thompson Barn, with another 500 over Zoom, to hear updates from the police, who also asked for the community’s help at the time to find a suspect.
Carbondale Police Chief Kirk Wilson recently told The Sun that the department has kept in touch regularly with the survivor and her family since the case’s inception. He said the family is grateful for the breakthrough, but have many questions themselves.
“Especially since he’s no longer in the United States, what happens next we’re still trying to figure that out,” Wilson said. “There’s still a lot of questions of ‘What does the future hold?’”
The Carbondale Police would not speak on the record regarding the exact nature of the lead or any new evidence, saying they wish to preserve the integrity of the case, should it be argued in court. Ninth Judicial District Attorney Ben Sollars sang a similar tune.
As previously reported in The Sun, CBI was tasked beginning in 2024 with examining DNA evidence collected at the scene.
On July 21 this year, Santos-Amaya was picked up for a separate incident in Garfield County and booked in the county jail. He currently has a warrant in that case for failing to appear, according to Sollars.
That’s where the apparent connection with this case surfaced, but by the time CPD was informed by CBI on Wednesday, Aug. 26, Santos-Amaya was in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody at a facility in Louisiana. That Friday, a CPD sergeant and CBI agent flew to Louisiana to investigate, where the department made contact with Santos-Amaya at the detention center. Within a matter of days, CPD was updated that Santos-Amaya had been deported to El Salvador the following Monday.
Based on The Sun’s investigation thus far, it is not clear when Santos-Amaya was detained by ICE. It’s also unclear whether Santos-Amaya is still in some form of custody in El Salvador, a detail neither CPD nor the District Attorney’s Office would elaborate on at this time.
“I won’t discuss anything that could negatively impact our ability to locate and extradite individuals with outstanding warrants,” Sollars said.
The police department has recommended the following charges: First Degree Burglary (Felony, Class 3); Sexual Assault — Submit, Force, Threat or Other (Felony, Class 2); Robbery (Felony, Class 4); First Degree Kidnapping (Felony, Class 1); and Crimes Against at Risk Person — Sexual Assault (Felony, Class 3). The District Attorney’s Office was still evaluating the case as of Tuesday, Sept. 9, ahead of deciding what charges to file in Garfield County District Court.
“Our office is currently reviewing the investigation and will determine what criminal charges, if any, are supported by the evidence,” Sollars told The Sun. “Because that process is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for our office to discuss particular pieces of evidence, anticipated charges or our evaluation of the evidence at this time.”
Until charges are filed, according to Sollars, a case number will not be assigned. Generally, he added, once the District Attorney’s Office files charges, the statute of limitations clock stops, leaving future prosecution on the table.
“This is a case that directly affected not only our community, but … a vulnerable person of our community,” Wilson said. “Although there’s still a lot of unknown territory ahead, it’s really comforting to know all of that work, all of that effort, appears to be coming to a head.”
Sollars noted that any suspect in a criminal case is presumed innocent, unless and until the prosecution proves the case beyond a reasonable doubt. CPD echoed this point in a press release.
Information regarding this case can be reported to CPD by calling 970-963-2662.