Woman held captive, assaulted in Utah home for 2 weeks, documents say
SALT LAKE CITY (KUTV) — Officers with the Salt Lake County Sheriff's Office said they found a woman in "immense fear" as she was running away from a man on Friday night in the Midvale suburbs.
As officers intervened, they noticed the woman's neck and face injuries and described her as "hysterical and expressed pain". She explained to officers she was held captive, repeatedly assaulted by 47-year-old Israel Galeana for the last two weeks after the duo ended their relationship, according to the officer's report.
The victim explained she had been living in the garage – not attached to the home – when the two were dating. The couple broke up approximately two weeks ago and that's when she said he held her against her will, arresting documents said. In those two weeks, the victim said she was beaten with a pipe on multiple occasions, punched, and verbally threatened to be hung by a noose that was displayed in the garage.
She said she managed to escape the home and took off on foot. That's when officers said they found her running and screaming in the streets. He took off after her but officers interjected before he caught up to her, according to the arresting document. The woman's injuries were consistent with her statements, one officer wrote.
After visiting Galeana's Midvale home located near 7400 S. Rio Grande Street, officers reported finding the noose hanging in the garage and drug materials scattered throughout. During questioning, the suspect told police: "I was going to let her go as soon as I got my money back," the report said. Galeana tried to give officers a false name but he was identified correctly on the scene.
Galeana was booked on the suspicion of kidnapping, aggravated assault on a prisoner, possession of drug paraphernalia, and giving false info to a public officer.
