(Daily360.com) – A woman in Gig Harbor, Washington, says she escaped being held hostage and she endured ruthless abuse by a man who abducted her for days. The 27-year-old woman was assisted by Gary and Robin Marcello after she frantically pounded on their door last Saturday night. When they let her into their home the couple noticed she was not wearing shoes and that she ran the relatively rough terrain outside their home, barefoot.
They say the woman pleaded with them to assist her, claiming she escaped from a man who had taken her and held her hostage for some days. The alleged kidnapper was the neighbor of the Marcellos. They say the woman ran about 100 yards from his home to theirs. The couple describes the accused assailant as a bit of a recluse who has lived in the neighborhood for decades.
When police arrived, they went to the man’s home and knocked on the door but no-one responded. After some time, they received a search warrant, forcibly entered the home, and found the accused man dead from an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police added that they found evidence indicating the man may have tried to burn his home down prior to killing himself. The attempted arson adds another layer of intrigue to the case according to Gig Harbor Police Chief Kelly Busey. He told local media that may indicate he was trying to hide more than the kidnapping.
The man, who is said to have been 66-years old, lived in what police called a very cluttered, “borderline hoarder” home. The woman told police that she was sure he would have killed her if had she not managed to escape. Witnesses say the woman showed noticeable bruising on her face and arms. Gary Marcello speculated that she may have been trying to defend herself from physical attacks.
Police are hoping to speak with the victim again in a few days to gain more insight into what happened. They say that aside from this incident the man had no criminal history or police interaction that they are aware of. At this point they feel no one else in involved with the abduction and they will continue to investigate.
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