An Oregon man is on the run after police say he kidnapped and tortured a woman before fleeing the scene.
According to Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman, Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, is accused of kidnapping and beating the victim at a residence near Grants Pass. Police said that the suspect knew the victim, who was likely targeted, but he’s still considered a threat to the public.
“He’s definitely a threat to others,” Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman told CNN Monday. “I think he would be a threat to somebody who might befriend him.”
Hensman said police arrived at the crime scene last Tuesday to find “an absolutely disgusting scene” after the suspect allegedly tried to kill the victim while “intentionally torturing” her. She was rushed to an area hospital after a friend contacted police after finding the victim.
The friend identified Foster as the suspect.
“I’ve seen a lot in my career, but some things do stick with you, and this will stay stained in my memory for many years to come,” Hensman said.
Grants Pass police said Foster “is actively using online dating applications to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be lured into assisting with the suspect’s escape or potentially as additional victims.”
ABC 12 reports that the suspect is accused of seriously injuring another woman he held captive for two weeks in Nebraska before the most recent incident. It happened less than two years after he allegedly beat the current victim, police said.
Warrants are out for Foster’s arrest on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and assault in the attack on the Grants Pass woman.
In the 2019 incident, Foster is accused of torturing and assaulting a girlfriend, as CrimeOnline previously reported. She eventually escaped after suffering broken ribs, black eyes, and being forced to drink lye.
Foster reached a deal with Clark County prosecutors in 2021 and pleaded guilty to one felony count of battery and one misdemeanor count of battery. He was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison, with the time he spent awaiting trial factoring into the time he actually spent.
At the time of that arrest, he was out of custody on a suspended sentence for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit, and he was awaiting trial on a domestic violence case from 2018. The 2021 plea deal, however, includes the 2018 case.
Anyone who sees Foster or knows his whereabouts should call 911 and reference Grants Pass case #23-3570.
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[Feature Photo: Benjamin Obadiah Foster/Grants Pass Police Department]
