A multi-day manhunt continues for a suspect accused of brutally beating and kidnapping an Oregon woman, who remains in critical condition, according to police.
While Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, has evaded arrest since Tuesday, police say he remains active on dating apps. The Grants Pass Police Department warned that he may be using the apps to find new potential victims or manipulate them to help him escape.
Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman said state and local investigators were working “round the clock” to find Foster, who is wanted on suspicion of murder, kidnapping and assault.
Police say investigators have been looking for Foster since Tuesday after they found a woman tied and beaten to death at a Grants Pass mansion. The department said the suspect, identified by investigators as Foster, was on the run when police arrived.
Prosecutors allege Foster attempted to kill the victim while “intentionally torturing” her, according to incriminating documents obtained by CNN affiliate KDRV. Hensman said on Thursday that the victim had endured abuse allegations for a “prolonged period of time.”
“I am disgusted with what I know happened. This is an act of evil,” Hensman said on Thursday.
Police said the victim was taken to a local hospital where she remains in a critical condition. According to Hensman, since Thursday, police have ensured the victim’s security.
Police said Foster “may have received assistance in fleeing the area.” The department said a 68-year-old woman was arrested on the charge of “obstructing prosecution” as authorities tracked down Foster.
Police are appealing to the public for information on the suspect’s whereabouts or any possible indications. In a statement Sunday, the department said people should pay special attention to his eyes and facial structure, as they believe he may be attempting to alter his appearance by altering his appearance. haircut or color of hair and beard.
In the statement, police said people should not approach “extremely dangerous suspects” but should instead call 911 immediately. Authorities said Foster may have been armed.
The Department has set up a referral line and offered a $2,500 reward for information leading to Foster’s arrest and prosecution.
“This is a hands-on operation on deck and we won’t rest until we have this man,” Hensman said on Thursday.
REQUIRED FOR ADVANCES BEFORE ASSISTANCE, REQUIRED
During Thursday’s press conference, Hensman said he was “troubled” with Foster’s history of domestic violence and assault allegations, detailed in court filings.
From 2017 to 2019, Foster was charged in two separate cases in which he was charged with assaulting a woman in Las Vegas, according to Clark County court records.
In the first case, Foster was charged with a felony constituting domestic violence, records show. Foster’s ex-girlfriend testified in a preliminary hearing that he tried to strangle her on Christmas Eve 2017 after he saw another man texting her.
While that case is still pending, Foster is charged with felony assault, assault and kidnapping for allegedly abusing his then-girlfriend in 2019, according to the charging documents.
The victim told police that “Foster strangled (her) to the point of unconsciousness several times” and tied her up for nearly two weeks afterward. She said she was only able to escape after convincing Foster they needed to go buy food and water, and ran away when he got out of the car to let their dog go to the bathroom, court records shows.
The woman was able to run through a store and into a nearby apartment complex, where someone offered to take her to the hospital, according to a Las Vegas police report. There, she was found with seven broken ribs, two black eyes and scratches on her wrists and ankles from being tied up, the report said.
Foster accepted plea agreements in both cases. In the first case, he was sentenced to a maximum of 30 months in prison but was given credit for 729 days of serving his sentence.
