() — A multi-day manhunt is underway for a suspect accused of brutally beating and kidnapping a woman who remains in critical condition, according to Oregon police.
Although Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 36, has evaded capture since Tuesday, police say he is still active on dating apps. The Grants Pass Police Department warns that he may be using the apps to find potential new victims or manipulate them into helping him escape.
State and local investigators have been working “around the clock” to find Foster, who is wanted on suspicion of attempted murder, kidnapping and assault, Grants Pass Police Chief Warren Hensman said.
Investigators have been searching for Foster since Tuesday after they found a woman tied up and beaten unconscious at a Grants Pass residence, police said. The suspect, identified by investigators as Foster, had already fled when police arrived, the department said.
Prosecutors accuse Foster of attempting to kill the victim while “intentionally torturing” her, according to charging documents. obtained by KDRV, affiliate. Hensman said Thursday that the victim had been enduring the alleged abuse for an “extended period of time.”
“I am disgusted by what I know happened. This was an evil act,” Hensman said Thursday.
The victim was taken to a local hospital where he remains in critical condition, police said Sunday. As of Thursday, police were providing security for the victim, according to Hensman.
Police said Foster “likely received assistance in fleeing the area.” A 68-year-old woman was arrested for “hindering prosecution” while authorities were searching for Foster, the department said.
Police urge the public to submit information regarding the suspect’s whereabouts or any possible sightings. In a statement Sunday, the department said people should pay special attention to your eyes and facial structure, as they believe you may try to alter your appearance by changing the cut or color of your hair and beard.
In the statement, police said people should not go near the “extremely dangerous suspect” and should instead call 911 immediately. Authorities have said Foster may be armed.
The department has established a tip line and is offering a $2,500 reward for information leading to Foster’s capture and prosecution.
“This is a fully-fledged operation and we will not rest until we capture this man,” Hensman said Thursday.
The suspect has faced prior charges of assault and kidnapping.
During a news conference Thursday, Hensman said he is “concerned” about Foster’s history of domestic violence and assault charges, which are detailed in court records.
Between 2017 and 2019, Foster was charged in two separate cases in which he was accused of assaulting women in Las Vegas, according to Clark County court records.
In the first case, Foster was charged with felony battery 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 seeing another man text her.
While that case was still pending, Foster was charged with felony assault, battery and kidnapping for alleged abuse of his then-girlfriend in 2019, according to charging documents.
The victim told police that “Foster strangled her to the point of unconsciousness multiple times” and kept her tied up for the better part of the next two weeks. She said she was only able to escape after convincing Foster they needed to go buy food and water, and she ran away from her when she got out of the car to let her dog use the bathroom, court records show.
The woman was able to run through a store and into a nearby apartment complex, where someone offered to take her to a hospital, according to a Las Vegas police report. There, she was found to have seven broken ribs, two black eyes and abrasions on her wrists and ankles from being tied up, according to the report.
Foster accepted plea deals in both cases. In the first case, he was sentenced to a maximum of 30 months in prison but was credited with 729 days served.
‘s Colin Jeffery and Nouran Salahieh contributed to this report.
