Investigators say the father intervened and was injured; a knife was recovered after the suspect fled.
CORNELIUS, Ore. — A Washington County grand jury has indicted a 37-year-old Cornelius resident after deputies say he tried to take a child from a stroller inside the Walmart on North Adair Street on Dec. 21, 2025, then ran to a white Jeep before officers arrested him nearby days later.
Authorities identified the suspect as Denis Omar Villalobos. According to investigators, deputies and officers from Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Beaverton responded to the store at 7:48 p.m. that Sunday after a 911 caller reported an armed man tried to grab a child. A grand jury returned an indictment on five counts on Dec. 29. The case drew quick attention in western Washington County as the Sheriff’s Office released details and asked additional witnesses to contact detectives while the child’s family recovered from the confrontation.
Deputies said the encounter unfolded in a main aisle near the front of the store. The child’s father confronted the man as he reached toward the stroller and a struggle followed, investigators said. During the fight, the suspect pulled a knife from his pocket but dropped it as the father pushed him away and shielded the child. The father was hurt; officials did not describe the injuries in detail, saying only that he was treated and released. Witnesses told deputies the suspect ran out of the store, climbed into a white Jeep and took off toward North Adair Street. Shoppers flagged down employees, and by the time the first patrol cars arrived, the Jeep was gone.
Investigators recovered the knife and interviewed bystanders who had followed the suspect to the parking lot. Several witnesses photographed the Jeep and wrote down a license plate number, deputies said. That plate led detectives to Villalobos, listed as the registered owner. A Forest Grove police officer spotted him a short distance from the store and detained him without further incident. Villalobos was booked into the Washington County Jail. He is charged with second-degree attempted kidnapping, second-degree assault, fourth-degree assault, unlawful use of a weapon and menacing. The Sheriff’s Office said the child was not physically hurt. What sparked the incident remains unknown, and investigators have not alleged any prior connection between the suspect and the family.
Records show the grand jury returned the indictment on Dec. 29, eight days after the incident, following a presentation of witness accounts and evidence collected at the scene. Deputies said the investigation remains active as they review in-store video, 911 recordings and additional tips. The Walmart at 220 N. Adair St. remained open after the incident; managers deferred comment to law enforcement. City officials in Cornelius noted the multiagency response, which included patrol units from Forest Grove, Hillsboro and Beaverton under existing mutual-aid agreements in Washington County. No other shoppers reported injuries linked to the struggle.
Washington County prosecutors said Villalobos will next appear in court for arraignment on the indictment and to address custody status. If convicted of the top counts, he could face prison time under Oregon sentencing guidelines. The Sheriff’s Office assigned additional detectives to canvass nearby businesses for exterior camera footage that might show the Jeep’s path away from the lot. Investigators said any further court filings, including probable cause and discovery, will be submitted to the court ahead of pretrial dates. A status conference is expected in January, with hearing dates to be set by a judge once the case is assigned.
Shoppers who were inside the store on Dec. 21 described a sudden burst of shouting and a quick chase to the doors. One neighbor who recognized the suspect’s name said the arrest rattled the block but also praised the father’s fast response. “He moved instantly to protect his kid,” the neighbor said. A store employee said co-workers focused on guiding customers away from the front entrance until law enforcement arrived. Deputies credited witnesses who stayed to give statements and provide the Jeep’s plate number, saying those details helped them identify a suspect in minutes rather than days.
Villalobos remains booked in Washington County while court dates are scheduled. Prosecutors said they will disclose additional records when they are filed. Detectives continue to review video and interview witnesses. The next expected milestone is a court appearance this month where a judge will set the timeline for motions and any release conditions.
Author note: Last updated January 4, 2026.