Onetime Real Housewives of Orange County cast member Elizabeth Lyn Vargas was identified as the person held captive for hours in her own home by a 33-year-old felon who, according to Newport Beach police, was “actively threatening the life of the victim.”
Ryan Matthew Geraghty of Los Angeles was being held without bail on suspicion of assault with a deadly weapon, burglary, extortion and being a felon in possession of a firearm, according to authorities.
Police were called to perform a welfare check about 5:45 p.m. Tuesday in the 100 block of Medina Way on the Balboa Penninsula, where a suspect was determined to be holed up inside. A standoff ensued.
After about two hours, officers made their way inside the home and found the armed suspect “actively threatening the life of the victim,” who was identified by her manager as Vargas.
The suspect was taken into custody. Police said that after speaking with the victim, officers evacuated some surrounding homes while they secured the home. After conducting a search of the residence, the evacuations were lifted and no other suspects were found, police said.
Real Housewives of Beverly Hills star Dorit Kemsley was the victim of a home invasion in October, when three masked men broke into her Encino residence demanding to know where her valuables were. They got away with jewels, handbags and watches.
Vargas’ manager, David Weintraub, issued a statement to multiple media outlets Wednesday saying Vargas is “doing fine” but was “extremely traumatized by the events that happened yesterday in her home.
“She was held captive for a number of hours and is extremely thankful to the Newport Beach Police Department, who was able to rescue her and get her out of harm’s way,” read Weintraub’s statement.
“She spent the entire night with the Newport Beach Police Department going over what exactly happened and she is just glad to be safely out of that situation.”
Security will be beefed up around Vargas’ home, said Weintraub.
Several media outlets, including Page Six and ABC7, reported that Vargas and Geraghty had briefly dated, and she feared that he may have been attempting to extort her.
Vargas was featured on Season 15 of the Bravo franchise.
City News Service contributed to this report.