Missouri Casino Parking Garage Site of Kidnapping of 74-Year-Old Woman

Posted on: April 8, 2025, 12:33h. 

Last updated on: April 8, 2025, 09:14h.

Devin O'Connor @CasinoorgDevinO Read More
Expertise: Asia Pacific Gaming, Commercial Gaming, Legislation, Politics.
  • Police in Missouri say a senior woman was kidnapped from a casino parking garage
  • The incident allegedly occurred at Hollywood Casino St. Louis
  • A separate 74-year-old woman suffered an emergency after leaving a casino in Michigan

A Missouri casino parking garage was the site of a recent kidnapping and robbery of a senior woman.

Missouri casino kidnapping crime
Police in Missouri allege Darryl Saddler (pictured) kidnapped a 74-year-old woman from the Hollywood Casino St. Louis parking garage earlier this month. In a separate incident, a 74-year-old woman in Michigan disappeared after leaving a tribal casino. (Image: St. Louis Police Department (insert)/Casino.org)

The St. Charles Police Department reports that 62-year-old Darryl Saddler is in custody after allegedly kidnapping a 74-year-old woman from the parking garage of the Hollywood Casino St. Louis in Maryland Heights. Police believe Saddler approached the woman after she left the casino and entered the parking structure.

Saddler allegedly forced his way into her vehicle at gunpoint and demanded money. He instructed her to drive to an ATM.

Upon arriving at the QuikTrip at 1500 Zumbehl Road across the Missouri River from the Hollywood Casino, the woman and Saddler entered the convenience store where she withdrew $500. Despite a gun being aimed at her, the woman refused to adhere to Saddler’s demands that she return to her vehicle.

Saddler fled in her car and ditched the vehicle soon after, but police managed to apprehend him without incident about 40 minutes later in a baseball field. 

‘Unconscionable’ Crime

St. Charles Police says Saddler has a lengthy rap sheet that includes felony convictions for robbery, kidnapping, rape, vehicle hijacking, and firearm offenses. The incident could have been much worse had the woman not refused to go back in her vehicle.

Great thinking on her part,” said St. Charles Police Lt. Daniel Gibbons. “Kidnappings do not happen around here very often. She was fearful for her life.”

Saddler remains in jail on a $100K cash-only bond. He’s facing numerous felony charges, including kidnapping, first-degree robbery, armed criminal action, stealing a motor vehicle, and unlawful possession of a firearm. He could be sentenced to years in prison if convicted.

It’s outrageous to think someone would threaten a person’s life over any amount of money,” Gibbons added. “His willingness to do this to a 74-year-old victim is unconscionable.”

Though Gibbons says kidnappings are rare, crime is not in Maryland Heights. According to Neighborhood Scout, an online database of community analytics, Maryland Heights has a Crime Index score of 19/100, with 100 being the safest.  

Another 74-Year-Old Woman Suffers Emergency

The unnamed woman involved in the Missouri casino parking garage kidnapping wasn’t the only 74-year-old to endure distress after visiting a casino in recent days. Police in Michigan say a 74-year-old woman went missing on “concerning circumstances” last Thursday around 5:30 pm.

The woman, Nancy Bloomquist, had last been seen on April 3 leaving the Little River Casino driving south on US-131 in her white 2024 GMC Terrain SUV with a Michigan license plate. She was found lying under a tree three days later on Sunday evening by drone surveillance.

Bloomquist told police she made a wrong turn and ventured down a long single-lane road that was a driveway to a vacation home. When she tried to turn around, she crashed and caused a fire in her vehicle. Bloomquist exited the SUV without her cell phone as the vehicle became engulfed in flames.

A drone flown by local police located Bloomquist about 350 feet from her vehicle. The owners of the vacation home provided police with security footage from their trail cameras that supported Bloomquist’s account.

The temperature overnight during the weekend was below freezing. Police say the 74-year-old is lucky to be alive.