Friday, April 22, 2005
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

LV woman arrested in finger case

Ayala held on fugitive warrant in chili incident at Wendy's restaurant

A portion of a human finger that Las Vegan Anna Ayala says she found while eating a bowl of chili at a Wendy's restaurant in San Jose, Calif., is shown in this March 23 file photo released by the Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health. Authorities arrested Ayala on Thursday in Las Vegas. Photo by THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

The long arm of the law on Thursday nabbed the woman who said she found a human finger in her Wendy's chili.

Anna Ayala's son, Guadalupe Reyes, said police officers from San Jose, Calif., and Las Vegas arrested her at the family home about 9 p.m.

He said he and his friends had left the house, near Maryland Parkway and Serene Avenue, about 30 minutes earlier.

"From what I've seen, they waited for us to leave and then they took her," he said.

Officer Enrique Garcia, a spokesman for San Jose police, confirmed that officers arrested Ayala in Las Vegas. He would not provide details of the arrest or the charges she will face. Those details will be announced during a news conference in San Jose today.

Reyes said he believes his mother will be charged with grand theft. He said a lawyer inquired about the possibility of bail and was told none would be set because Ayala was arrested on a fugitive warrant.

Reyes said Ayala, 39, hasn't been the same since she bit into a human finger while eating chili at a Wendy's in San Jose on March 22.

The incident drew massive media attention and was a staple of late night talk show monologues.

"She's real stressed," Reyes said. "She hasn't been able to sleep. She hasn't been able to eat. She just wants to get away from all this."

Reached late Thursday night, Wendy's spokesman Denny Lynch said authorities had not notified the company of Ayala's arrest.

"We are obviously thrilled," he said when informed that police had confirmed the arrest.

The company had previously determined the finger did not come from its suppliers or employees, and offered a $100,000 reward to the first person providing verifiable information leading to the positive identification of the origin of the digit.

Lynch said the publicity the incident drew impacted sales. That in turn led to reduced employee hours.

"It has been devastating. The impact in sales has been significant," he said.

Lynch said the sales slump was greatest in San Jose and Las Vegas, where the incident generated the most publicity.

"The sales in Las Vegas have been hurt as if the incident occurred there, which isn't fair," Lynch said.

Ayala, who was visiting relatives in San Jose when the incident occurred, initially said she would pursue a lawsuit against the fast-food company. She later decided not to do so.

Court records indicate she has a history of filing lawsuits, including one against another fast-food restaurant.

On April 6, Las Vegas and San Jose police searched her Las Vegas home. Family friend Ken Bono said authorities seized several items, including a cooler and a makeup case.

At the time, Ayala said police injured her 13-year-old daughter during the search and left the home in disarray.

"They invaded my home. They invaded my privacy. They dragged us through the mud," Ayala said. "We're not bad people. We're not terrorists. ... I don't believe anyone deserves what happened to us."

Review-Journal writer Peter O'Connell contributed to this report.