Kidnapping of Hannah Anderson

On or about the afternoon of August 4, 2013, 16-year-old Hannah Anderson was abducted after cheerleading practice from Sweetwater High School in National City, California. The suspect was later identified by authorities as 40-year-old James Lee DiMaggio, owner of a home in Boulevard, California, about an hour away, where Anderson, her mother Christina Anderson and brother Ethan Anderson had been overnight guests the previous evening. The bodies of Christina and Ethan Anderson and the family's dog, Cali, were found in DiMaggio's burned home. An Amber alert was issued for Anderson, who was found alive in Cascade, Idaho on August 10, a week after she was abducted. DiMaggio was killed by FBI agents during a shootout at the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness in Idaho, where he had been camping with Hannah Anderson.

Boulevard murders
James DiMaggio had invited Christina Anderson and her children to his home at 2071 Ross Avenue in Boulevard, ostensibly to say goodbye because he was planning to move to Texas. The Anderson family stayed over at his home. On August 4, a fire was reported at DiMaggio's house in Boulevard, where firemen found the bodies of Hannah Anderson's mother, Christina, her 8-year-old brother Ethan and the family dog, Cali. Christina Anderson died of blunt force trauma, believed to have been caused with a crowbar. She was apparently tortured, and her body covered with a tarp. Cali was shot dead and covered with a sleeping bag. The fire was set after the victims were killed. An arrest warrant was issued for DiMaggio. Anderson's grandparents called the police and reported their grandchildren missing, prompting police to issue a statewide AMBER Alert, the first alert sent out to cellphones in California. The manhunt stretched from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico.

Sightings in Idaho
On August 8, a couple meeting the description of DiMaggio and Anderson was seen by horseback riders in Cascade, Idaho. The next day, authorities were notified of this sighting after the riders watched a news report concerning the abduction.

Shooting and rescue
According to Hannah Anderson, DiMaggio threatened to kill her with his gun and anybody who tried to rescue her. On the same day, DiMaggio's car, a blue Nissan Versa, was discovered near the Frank Church River of No Return Wilderness. The car's license plates had been removed and the vehicle had been hidden by brush. On August 10, police discovered DiMaggio's campsite and an FBI tactical agent killed DiMaggio near Morehead Lake around 5 pm. DiMaggio fired at least one shot at the officers, causing the officers to fire back and kill him. DiMaggio was shot at least five times, in his head, arms and upper torso. Anderson had no visible injuries, but was taken to a local hospital for crisis counseling. Afterward, when asked if she was glad DiMaggio was dead, Anderson responded "Absolutely."

The suspect
The suspect was James Lee DiMaggio (January 17, 1973 – August 10, 2013), age 40, a telecommunications technician in San Diego. According to a friend of DiMaggio, his father, James Everet DiMaggio, died exactly 15 years before his son. The father had attempted to kidnap a female minor, then committed suicide by overdosing on methamphetamine.

DiMaggio was the best friend of Christina's ex-husband, Brett Anderson, and like an uncle to the children. He had helped them with various tasks, such as driving Hannah and a friend from a gymnastics meet, during which he had unnerved her by saying he'd like to date her, if they were the same age. During a trip to Los Angeles with Anderson, DiMaggio also complained she "wasn’t paying enough attention to him." Anderson's friends said she did not like being alone with him and that she was "creeped out" by his comments on the drive from the meet.

DiMaggio listed Brett Anderson's mother as beneficiary to his life insurance in 2011, while he lived with her. He intended the $112,000 for the children, but didn't trust their parents to handle it. This revelation prompted members of DiMaggio's family to request a paternity test to determine if he fathered the Anderson children. Brett called the suggestion "disgusting" and an Anderson family spokeswoman said DiMaggio hadn't met Christina till she was six months pregnant with Hannah. The DiMaggio family subsequently withdrew their request for DNA testing.