A long-running international manhunt has finally ended with the arrest of a British man in the Dominican Republic.
But the real shock?
Authorities believe he may also be connected to one of the most horrifying kidnap-and-torture cases in recent UK history.
British Fugitive Tracked Down Over Separate Child Abduction Case
Kevin Wooden, a 45-year-old man originally from the UK, was taken into custody by police in Santo Domingo, the capital of the Dominican Republic.
He wasn’t arrested for his UK crimes, though.
Instead, he was wanted by Mexican authorities in connection with the suspected kidnapping of a young child—his own daughter.
Wooden had been on the run for years.
He vanished with his then-seven-month-old daughter, Khadija Alexandria Alvarez Bonilla, in 2021.
She’s now four, and her mother, Carolina Alvarez, has been campaigning ever since to locate her missing child.
International Efforts Lead to Dramatic Arrest in the Caribbean
His arrest was part of a well-coordinated operation involving multiple agencies, including INTERPOL and local Dominican police.
According to officials, the raid took place in the Bella Vista neighborhood, and along with Wooden, a Mexican woman—41-year-old Viviana Villarreal Cambero—was also detained.
Three children were rescued during the operation, though it hasn’t been confirmed if one of them is Khadija.
Wooden had been living under a fake identity, reportedly using forged Mexican documents under the alias “Miguel Antonio Torres Hernández.”
The Other Side of the Story: A Horrific UK Abduction Case
While this arrest stemmed from a child abduction case in Mexico, Wooden has been wanted in the UK for a far darker and more disturbing incident.
Back in March 2019, Polish national Tomasz Samel was abducted from outside his home in Handsworth, Birmingham.
The kidnappers were dressed as Interpol officers, wearing high-visibility vests to gain his trust.
Tomasz was tortured and sustained severe burns covering 75% of his body.
He managed to find help after being abandoned 100 miles away in Lancashire, banging on the door of a stranger’s home in Bickerstaffe.
Despite receiving treatment in a specialist burns unit at Whiston Hospital, he died three months later in June 2019.
Investigators Described It as One of the Worst Crimes They Had Ever Seen
Detective Chief Inspector Anastasia Miller, who led the investigation into Tomasz’s case, described the attack as one of the most appalling she had ever come across.
The West Midlands Police had released a photo of Wooden at the time and offered a £10,000 reward for any information about his whereabouts.
Tomasz had reportedly spoken briefly to investigators before he passed away, but police have never disclosed the details.
His case remained unresolved, with investigators still piecing together what really happened that day.
Evidence Suggests the Abduction Was Carefully Planned
Surveillance footage captured a van believed to have been used in Tomasz’s kidnapping at Hopwood Park Services in Bromsgrove earlier on the day of the attack.
The suspects were seen buying fluorescent vests—likely part of their strategy to trick Tomasz into thinking they were law enforcement officials.
Police suspect the crime was planned in advance and may have had more than one person involved.
Despite arrests made over the years—including one man detained in Greece in 2022—no one has yet been charged in connection with the killing.
A Grieving Mother’s Years-Long Fight for Her Daughter
While British authorities searched for Wooden in connection with the Tomasz case, Khadija’s mother, Carolina Alvarez, was sounding the alarm on a different front.
She had created a Facebook page called “Buscamos a Khadija”—meaning “We’re looking for Khadija”—where she accused her ex of being violent and potentially dangerous.
Her desperate posts urged anyone with information to come forward, fearing her daughter’s safety was at serious risk.
Mexican authorities had also issued public alerts, and eventually, Interpol became involved in the hunt.
Police Still Piecing Together the Full Picture
As of now, Wooden remains in custody in the Dominican Republic.
It’s expected that he will be extradited to Mexico to face charges related to the abduction of his daughter.
However, it’s still uncertain whether UK authorities will push for his return to face justice for Tomasz Samel’s horrific death.
A spokesperson for the Dominican police confirmed the arrest, detailing the agencies involved and the warrant that had been issued by Mexico’s judicial system earlier this month.
Cash and other valuable items were also recovered during the raid.
What Happens Next?
Wooden’s arrest marks a major breakthrough in both cases—but there are still many unanswered questions.
Has Khadija been safely recovered?
Will Wooden be tried in both Mexico and the UK?
Could the evidence seized during his arrest help finally bring justice to Tomasz’s family?
Back in the UK, authorities may be preparing for the next steps.
If they do pursue Wooden’s extradition, it could open the door to long-awaited justice in one of Britain’s most brutal unsolved crimes.
Until then, both the families of Tomasz and Khadija are left waiting, hoping the truth—and accountability—finally catch up.