Police find ‘ghost gun’ at home of Kennewick man accused of kidnapping

A Kennewick man accused of kidnapping and attacking his ex-girlfriend this weekend had a surprise in his home — a “ghost gun.”

A woman called police about 3:30 p.m. Sunday to report her ex-boyfriend, Robert Angel Lopez, 43, had recently held her against her will, said Kennewick police Sgt. Chris Littrell.

Details about the crime were not immediately available, including how long she was held and when the crime happened.

But Littrell said investigators were able to track Lopez to his home at 519 N. Kent Place on Sunday evening. They soon surrounded the home and began calling for him to come outside.

He eventually surrendered. Police got a search warrant and seized evidence allegedly connected to the kidnapping and discovered a “ghost gun” and a stolen motorcycle.

Ghost guns are generally created outside of the normal weapons manufacturing system.

They can be sold as kits that are bought online and assembled at home.

Police encounters with these unregistered weapons are unusual, Littrell said.

A federal rule that was put in place in August was aimed at stemming the sale of the untraceable components, according to a New York Times story.

Lopez has a history of legal trouble that prevented him from owning any guns, according to online court records. That included convictions for forgery and identity theft.

He is also facing burglary, malicious mischief and misdemeanor assault charges from 2022.

He was arrested Sunday on suspicion of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree robbery, second-degree assault, violating a protection order, possession of a stolen vehicle and illegally possessing a firearm.