Ex of missing woman found with bloody clothes

MAPLE SHADE, N.J. - December 20, 2010

That comes from court documents on the arrest of 48-year-old Kenneth Patterson, who was arrested overnight at the Clover Motel on Route 73 in Maple Shade, New Jersey.

Police still haven't found the woman he's accused of abducting, 57-year-old Diane Corado, his ex-girlfriend. The Bucks County woman was kidnapped from her home on Sunday morning.

Investigators say blood was also found in Corado's vehicle.

"He did say he would kill her then kill himself," said Lt. Henry Ward of the Falls Township Police. "He's still alive so he didn't follow through on that threat. We're hoping he didn't make good on his other threat."

On Monday afternoon, police executed a search warrant at the Nomad Motel on Route 38 in Maple Shade looking for any sign of Corado.

"We do not know where she is, we have no word on the whereabouts of the victim," said Lt.Ward.

The FBI and the New Jersey State Police spent most of the night searching two rooms at the Clover Motel - one of which was in a complete state of disarray.

"A couple of tiles are out of the drop ceiling, the TV is on the floor, the bed is pulled out, the room is totally trashed," said motel maintenance manager Charlie Smith.

Investigators say he checked into room 301 at about 4:45 a.m. Then, about 45 minutes later, he asked for a different room. Police believe Patterson used that time to possibly take a shower and clean up. It was that second room - 314 - that was trashed.

Police picked up Patterson on kidnapping, aggravated assault and other charges

Police say Patterson kidnapped Corado after kicking down her door at her apartment in the 9000 block of Mill Creek Road in Falls Township, Bucks County between 5:30 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. Sunday.

Police described what happened by saying, "[Patterson] allegedly broke into the apartment, took the victim forcibly, threatened her with a knife and assaulted her with a pipe."

He then allegedly forced Corado and her friend into Corado's black Pontiac Aztek. Police say he let the friend go a short distance from the apartment but took Corado against her will.

Last night, an Action News viewer directed police to Corado's vehicle in Camden, New Jersey after seeing the story on Action News.

A short time later, police found Patterson at the Clover Motel.

Corado, however, has not been found and police say Patterson is refusing to tell them where she might be.

Her son, Scott Melnick, issued a public plea for help and urged his mother to "stay strong".

"My fiancée and I are planning a wedding in the very near future and we'd like her home safe and sound so we can have a nice Christmas together," said Melnick.

Police expressed the urgency to find Corado by saying, "We are extremely concerned for the welfare of this victim and we need the help of the public to try and locate this individual."

Kevin Patterson has a long criminal history according to police and a history of problems with Corado. The two dated for five years, but it is unclear when they broke up.

Police say, during the day on Sunday, Patterson was in Trenton, Camden, Falls Township and three locations in Maple Shade.

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