The Kidnapping of Sayeh and Sara Rivazfar

Now a New York State Trooper, Officer Sayeh Rivazfar has shared her kidnapping story from 1988 in hopes to help others and bring awareness to the dangers of the people that are around them. Her story continues to encourage those who hear it.

In 1988, 8 year old Sayeh and her 6 year old sister Sara were kidnapped by their mother’s ex boyfriend, Warfield Wike Jr, who also went by the nickname “Ray”. At the time, the two girls were living in Pensacola, Florida, with their mother, Patricia, and little brother, Arash Rivazfar. The children suffered abuse and neglect at the hands of their mother, who was more obsessed with going out, partying, and using drugs/alcohol. Sayeh was often left to look after of her two younger siblings because of their mother’s neglect.

Sayeh’s mother began dating Wike a year earlier in 1987. Sayeh recalls quickly sensing that this man was “weird” as a child for several reasons. First, he preferred the company of children, which is odd since he is a full grown man. Sayeh said that he would also come into the room she shared with her sister as they tried to sleep. Sayeh also stated that a year before the kidnapping, Wike molested her on multiple occasions.

On the night of September 22, 1988, while the girls’ mother was out, Wike used a crowbar and snuck into the family’s apartment. He then proceeded to grab Sayeh as she slept and carry her out to his car. Sayeh says she remembers opening her eyes to see Wike carrying Sara to the car, but she was tired and fell back to sleep. He then drove both girls into the woods.

WARNING ⚠️ graphic detail below

When Wike got the two young girls alone, he took Sayeh out of the car and repeatedly raped her on the trunk as Sara remained in the car. After the rape, Sayeh says that Wike took both her and her sister further into the woods. That is where he told her to “say her prayers” and proceeded to slit her throat, barely missing her jugular vein. Sayeh recalls this moment, saying she looked down and saw blood on her hands, then fell to the ground. In this moment, Sayeh made the smart decision to play dead, as Wike began attacking Sara.

Sayeh says she remembers laying on the ground and hearing her sister screaming and crying and feeling the ground moving from her kicking and struggling, until she didn’t feel any movements anymore.

After attacking the young girls, Wike walked over Sayeh’s body, thinking she was dead, and left. Once he was away, Sayeh ran to help her sister, but came to realize there was nothing she could do. So 8 year old Sayeh began walking down the road on her own, trying to find help.

A mugshot of Ray Wike and a photograph of Sara Rivazfar

The following morning, an older couple were driving down the road when they spotted the 8 year old flagging them down, waving one hand in the air and using the other to hold her throat where she had been cut. They quickly grabbed Sayeh and called 911 for help, rushing to the nearest hospital. At the hospital, detectives asked Sayeh what happened and she explained that she and her sister were attacked by a man named Ray and that her sister was killed. It was also determined that Sayeh had suffered a cut throat (obviously) and two lacerations to her vagina, consistent with forced penetration.

Police later found Sara’s body about 75 feet from the dirt road where Sayeh was picked up. When her body was found, Sara’s hands were tied behind her back and her throat was severely cut. Evidence was found all around the crime scene, which include pieces of a shirt, tire tracks, footprints, and blood stains.

After Sayeh’s statement and talking to the girls’ mother, officers determined that Ray Wike was the suspect and immediately went to his residence. An officer had a dispatcher call Ray’s house when he initially didn’t come outside. The dispatcher then told Ray to go outside and he was arrested on the spot. A warrant was issued and officers searched Ray’s house and car, finding several pieces of evidence from each.

Sayeh Rivazfar talking about she and her sister’s kidnapping

Ray Wike was then indicted for murder, attempted murder, sexual battery, and kidnapping. In court, Sayeh testified against Wike, showing her strength at such a young age. Wike was his own defense in court and testified that someone else possibly used the car because he had been drinking and smoking weed that night, which was obviously a lie. Wike was found guilty on all charges and sentenced to death. He later died in prison before he could be executed in 2004 due to cancer. Sayeh and her brother Arash were also removed from their mother’s custody and sent to live in New York with their father.

It is unbearable to think of what Sayeh and Sara went through. We can only imagine what Sayeh must’ve felt in those moments that she was attacked and having to helplessly hear her sister being attacked as well. Sayeh’s strength and courage to not let that incident control how her life turned out has helped her make it to where she is. She is now a New York State Trooper, has a family of her own, and continues to share her survival story to help others. Sayeh has stated that much of her strength comes from her father, Ahmad Rivazfar; she believes that his Iranian heritage is what caused the courts to initially award custody of she and her siblings to her mother when her father was the more obvious fit parent. Sayeh states that she “was not a victim,” she was “a fighter”. Sayeh’s story is one that can encourage people to never give up and always fight for your life, no matter how big or small you are.