Trial begins for man accused of attempted kidnapping at Xenia school

XENIA — The trial for a man accused of impersonating a kindergartner’s dad to try and kidnap her from a Xenia school and later attacking a police officer started Monday.

>> PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Man accused of attempted kidnapping at Xenia school found competent to stand trial for second time

Police say their officer was attacked at the Xenia Police Department where officers were getting ready to question 35-year-old Reid Duran.

Prosecutors say he went to St. Brigid School during an open house night for K-8 students in August to kidnap a girl in kindergarten and the crime had sexual motivations.

As reported on News Center 7 at 6:00, the principal testified Duran said he was the child’s father and even identified her by name from artwork outside the classroom.

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“This case is where sexual desires and fantasies collide in the real world,” Assistant Greene County Prosecutor Christian Cavalier said.

The principal realized something was off and called the police when he figured out Duran was not who he said he was.

Duran’s lawyer says he suffers from a severe mental illness, was not taking his medication, and was delusional, including when talking to police.

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“Reid bought into their assertions and began to just tell them whatever that he thought they should hear. He was lost in his delusion,” said Anthony VanNoy, Duran’s defense lawyer.

Duran’s lawyer says he voluntarily came in for questioning. Once there, the video shows Duran trying and stab a Xenia officer with a pen. That same video later shows a now-handcuffed Duran trying to escape the locked interview room.

Duran’s lawyer told the jury he said a lot wrong, but didn’t do anything criminal.

“He did not appreciate the wrongfulness of his conduct. And we’ll ask you to make a finding of not guilty by reason of insanity,” VanNoy said.

Prosecutors told the jury the opposite.

“And when you’ve heard all of the evidence, the state’s going to ask you to return verdicts of guilty to each of the three counts,” Cavalier said.

As News Center 7 previously reported, three psychologists evaluated Duran and the court found him competent to stand trial.

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