Man suspected of kidnapping and beating woman in Oregon may be using dating apps to evade police

CNN
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Authorities in southwestern Oregon are warning that a man suspected of kidnapping a woman and beating her unconscious could now use dating apps to evade capture or find new ones potential victims, according to the police.

The suspect, Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, has so far eluded capture but appears active on online dating services, the Grants Pass Police Department said in a statement Friday.

“The investigation revealed that the suspect is actively using online dating apps to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be brought in to assist in the suspect’s escape or potentially as additional victims,” ​​Grants Police said. pass.

The search for Foster began on Tuesday after officers found a woman who had been bound and severely beaten unconscious, Grants Pass Police said. She was taken to hospital in critical condition and is being held while the suspect remains at large, police said.

The man fled the scene before officers arrived, but investigators identified Foster as the suspect and asked members of the public to call 911 immediately if they saw him, warning he “should be considered as extremely dangerous”.

Police said Foster “probably received help fleeing the area.” A 68-year-old woman was arrested “for obstructing prosecution” as authorities searched for the suspect, according to the department.

As the search continues, a $2,500 reward has been offered for information leading to Foster’s capture. Police said he was wanted for kidnapping, attempted murder and assault.

Prosecutors accused Foster of attempting to kill the victim “by intentionally torturing” the woman, according to charging documents filed in court and obtained by CNN affiliate KDRV.

“This is a very serious offense – a brutal assault on one of our residents which we take extremely seriously and will not rest until we capture this individual,” said Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman at a news conference on Thursday.

This isn’t the first time Foster has been accused by the authorities of violence against women.

Clark County, Nevada, court records show that Foster was charged in two different cases years earlier, accusing him of assaulting women.

In the first case, Foster was charged with assault and battery constituting domestic violence, according to court documents. Foster’s ex-girlfriend testified at a preliminary hearing that he tried to strangle her in rage in 2017 after another man texted her.

While this case was still pending before the courts, Foster was charged with felony assault, battery and kidnapping for allegedly attacking another woman – his girlfriend at the time – in 2019, according to charging documents.

The victim told police “Foster choked her unconscious several times” and kept her tied up for most of the next two weeks. She said she was only able to gain her freedom after convincing Foster they needed to go shopping and escaped while in a store, court records show.

The woman was left with seven broken ribs, two black eyes and abrasions to her wrists and ankles after being tied up, according to a Las Vegas police report.

Foster eventually agreed to enter into plea deals in the cases, according to the documents. He was sentenced to a maximum of 30 months in prison but was credited with 729 days served in the first case.

“Am I confused by what I already know? The answer is yes,” Hensman said when asked about previous charges in Nevada.

“We are laser focused on capturing this man and bringing him to justice,” Hensman said.