Police warn torture suspect could be using dating apps to find new victims
A man accused of torturing a woman he held captive is feared to be using dating apps to find potential new victims.
Police in Oregon, US, have ordered an around-the-clock search for Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, after the victim was found unconscious and close to death in an area known as Grants Pass on Tuesday.
She was taken to hospital in a critical condition and on Thursday local police, sheriff's deputies, an Oregon State Police SWAT team and federal agents raided a home in in nearby Wolf Creek.
Foster escaped police custody although authorities arrested a 68-year-old woman for hindering prosecution.
Now authorities have revealed the suspect is "actively using online dating applications" to contact potential victims or people who could help with his escape.
Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe
Police have ordered an around the clock search for Foster (Grants Pass Police Department)
Police raided a home in Oregon, but Foster managed to escape authorities (Grants Pass Police Department)Court documents showed the arrested woman, Tina Marie Jones, had followed Foster in a vehicle earlier on Thursday when he purposefully drove his 2008 Nissan Sentra over an embankment.
Jones then gave Foster - said to be armed and dangerous, a ride to the property raided on Thursday night.
Police have offered a $2,500 (£2,000) reward for information leading to the arrest and prosecution of Foster who is charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and assault.
Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman said it is "extremely troubling" Foster was out and able to prey on other women instead of remaining behind bars for the Nevada crimes.
Foster is believed to be armed and dangerous (Grants Pass Police Department)In 2019, before moving to Oregon, Foster held his then-girlfriend captive inside her Las Vegas apartment for two weeks.
He initially was charged with five felonies, including assault and battery, and faced decades in prison upon conviction.
But in August 2021, Foster reached a deal with Clark County prosecutors allowing him to plead guilty to one felony count of battery and a misdemeanour count of battery constituting domestic violence.
A judge sentenced him to up to two and a half years in a Nevada prison.
The 729 days he had spent in jail awaiting trial were factored into his punishment, leaving Foster with fewer than 200 days to serve in state custody.
Police revealed Foster is using dating apps to find potential victims (Getty Images/Westend61)Foster's girlfriend suffered seven broken ribs, two black eyes and injuries from being bound at the wrists and ankles with zip ties and duct tape during her two-week captivity, according to a Las Vegas police report.
Russian model killed after calling Putin a 'psychopath' was strangled by her ex
The woman also told police she was forced to eat lye and was choked to the point of unconsciousness.
She escaped when Foster let her out of his sight during a trip together to a grocery store and gas station.
Court records show, Foster was out of custody at the time on a suspended jail sentence for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit.
He was also awaiting trial in another 2018 case, involving domestic violence.
However, Foster's plea deal with prosecutors in 2021 settled the domestic violence case, a copy of the agreement shows, and he was "sentenced to credit for time served."
Police chief Hensman added: "We are using every piece of technology available to locate this man.
"Whatever happened in the past, we can talk about those situations later."
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
