Kidnapped Texas Journalist Could be in Negotiations for Release

A French newspaper is reporting that U.S. officials are trying to get the Houston-native released from captivity.

By Laura RiceMarch 25, 2015 8:03 pm

It’s no shock that the increased tension in the Middle East has made it tough for Western journalists to cover stories there. That trek didn’t deter Austin Tice, a former Marine from Houston turned freelance journalist, who went to Syria to cover the ongoing civil war. Now, Tice finds himself in trouble.

After completing his last few stories, Tice was planning to make his way to the border to cross over to Lebanon. He never made it that far. A few weeks later, a video surfaced showing Tice being held captive by unknown jihadists.

That was almost two and a half years ago. Some feared Tice to be dead, but a recent development might not only show Tice is alive, but could have a ticket home. Now, the Fench newspaper Le Figaro is reporting that U.S. officials might be in talks with the Syrian government to get Tice back.