Missing Hickory woman possibly kidnapped; registered sex offender named person of interest

HICKORY, N.C. — Police believe a missing Hickory woman was kidnapped, and the FBI has joined the urgent search for her.

The Catawba County Sheriff’s Office said Leroy Allen Loper, 54, a registered sex offender with felony convictions, is a person of interest in Robin Doyle’s disappearance. He was arrested in Surry County, about 60 miles from her Hickory home where she was last seen.

Investigators said her disappearance is suspicious.

Search warrants say investigators found a bra and zip-ties in the yard of Doyle’s home. They also recovered zip-ties matching that description from the red Kia driven by Loper in Surry County.

Neighbors gave Channel 9’s Dave Faherty video of Loper, who is Doyle’s former co-worker, being taken into custody outside a mobile home he was renting in Surry County. They said it was on unrelated charges.

Residents witnessed deputies from Catawba County along with SBI agents searching the property for more than six hours on Wednesday night.

A man who owns the property in Surry County spoke about the large police presence.

“I have no idea about any of this,” he said. “This came as a big surprise.”

Outside the home where Doyle lives with her dad in Hickory, Faherty spotted SBI agents and deputies searching with a cadaver dog Thursday afternoon.

Loper has previously been charged with two counts of failing to register as a sex offender in Catawba County. Loper has a previous conviction for second-degree forcible sexual offense and a previous arrest for first-degree kidnapping.

Court documents say cameras in the area and witnesses spotted a red car leaving Doyle’s neighborhood at a high rate of speed early Tuesday morning.

Her father said hours later, when he woke up, Doyle was gone, but her car was still in the driveway. He says he found the back door to the home open and according to the search warrant, the retaining wall blocks were out of place on the walkway.

Investigators believe she was kidnapped on Tuesday.

The search warrant also says a Flock camera in the area captured a 2015 red Kia Optima along with its tag, which led investigators to the home in Surry County. Officials told Faherty they did not find Doyle at the residence in Surry County.

A neighbor showed Faherty video from his wildlife cameras of investigators searching the woods behind the mobile home.

“They just moved in about a week ago, so nobody has really been involved with them,” said neighbor William Rhodes. “But strange just really strange.”

Loper is being held in the Catawba County Detention Facility on a $200,000 secured bond.

Sheriff’s investigators are asking for anyone with information about Loper to contact the Catawba County Sheriff’s Office.

Specifically, they are seeking information from anyone who may have seen and or interacted with Loper in Catawba County, Surry County, and all points in between July 27 and July 29.

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