Oregon kidnapping suspect Benjamin Obadiah Foster dead after police standoff, official says - The Washington Post

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An Oregon antheral accused of violently kidnapping a pistillate and torturing her for days earlier fleeing into a forested country of the authorities died of a self-inflicted gunshot coiled aft an hours-long standoff with constabulary connected Tuesday, according to a constabulary spokesman.

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, died astatine a infirmary soon aft helium was taken into custody astatine a spot wherever helium was staying successful Grants Pass, Ore., Lt. Jeff Hattersley of the Grants Pass Police Department told KTVL in Medford, Ore. Police said successful a news release earlier Tuesday that Foster was “in custody.”

Authorities surrounded a location successful Grants Pass wherever they believed Foster was staying aft helium was spotted walking a canine connected Tuesday morning, constabulary wrote connected Facebook. Officers of 4 instrumentality enforcement agencies were successful the area, and a SWAT squad was acceptable up arsenic portion of an effort to get Foster to surrender, Hattersley told KTVL. The constabulary spokesperson told section media connected Tuesday evening that the concern had been “resolved” but did not instantly accidental that Foster was successful custody.

Hattersley did not instantly respond to a petition for remark aboriginal Wednesday.

The standoff concluded a week-long hunt that began aft constabulary discovered a woman, whose sanction was not released, bound and severely beaten successful her location connected Jan. 24 successful what the constabulary main described arsenic “an evil act.” Police said they received “credible information” linking Foster to the attack, the Daily Courier reported. The pistillate remains hospitalized successful captious condition, according to police.

Foster faced aggregate charges from the attack, including attempted murder, kidnapping and assault, according to tribunal records.

Foster was released from situation successful Nevada astir 2 years ago. He had been charged with holding different pistillate captive for weeks successful her Las Vegas flat successful 2019 and was convicted connected lesser charges, the Associated Press reported. Although a justice sentenced him to 2.5 years successful prison, helium spent less than 200 days successful authorities custody arsenic his 700-plus days successful jailhouse awaiting proceedings were factored into his sentence.

Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman told the AP past week that it was “extremely troubling” that Foster wasn’t down bars. Hattersley told The Washington Post this week that Grants Pass constabulary were not alert of Foster’s transgression past oregon plea deal.

After constabulary served a hunt warrant past week astatine a spot successful Wolf Creek, Ore., wherever they thought Foster was hiding, authorities discovered his 2008 Nissan Sentra, and arrested 68-year-old Tina Marie Jones and charged her with hindering prosecution. Police said they deliberation Jones was initially pursuing Foster successful different vehicle. After helium drove his car implicit an embankment, she gave him a thrust to the property, Hattersley said this week.

Police had warned that Foster was progressive connected dating apps to perchance find much victims. Authorities besides said helium whitethorn person changed his quality by shaving and dyeing his hair. Hattersley said it was “unlikely” that Jones and Foster met done a dating app, adding that she lived adjacent his household and astir apt had “associations wrong the community.”

On Tuesday, constabulary posted a blurry photograph of him walking a tiny canine successful the area.

“If anyone observes this subject, delight telephone 9-1-1 immediately,” the section wrote connected Facebook.

Hours later, constabulary cornered Foster nether the structure of the house, according to CBS News. Authorities fired gunshots and teardrop state into the location successful an effort to get him to travel out.

Video from KTVL shows a ample constabulary beingness extracurricular the location successful Grants Pass, a metropolis of astir 40,000 successful southwest Oregon. Some residents told the Daily Courier they received alerts telling them to structure successful spot arsenic constabulary surrounded the property.

The constabulary section is to stock much details surrounding the cognition astatine a quality league Wednesday.

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