Hillsborough County deputies rescued a woman Monday after she was kidnapped and subjected to months of horrific abuse and torture.
The Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office said deputies found the victim after someone called about an injured woman who "just escaped from a van and needed help" at a Mobil gas station in Seffner.
The victim, whose identity was not released, was panhandling in the area of Hillsborough Avenue and Habana Avenue in January when the suspect, 48-year-old Walter Medina, gave her food and narcotics, the sheriff's office said. But Medina turned violent, holding her captive and abusing her for months.
Medina allegedly assaulted the woman repeatedly with a baseball bat and a screwdriver, and she sustained "severe injuries including but not limited to, broken ribs, deep puncture wounds, and extensive bruising." He allegedly forcibly transported the woman throughout the Tampa area, threatening to kill her if she fled.
When he left her unattended at a Walgreens, she took the opportunity to escape and sought help. Responding deputies noted injuries to her face and body and she was transported to a hospital for treatment.
"I can't imagine the torture this victim endured for months, but I can imagine the relief she felt when our deputies arrived," Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. "I have to commend the bravery of the victim for escaping her captor and seeking help. Our thoughts are with her as she recovers from this traumatic ordeal."
Medina was arrested on Tuesday following a pursuit that involved the HCSO, the Polk County Sheriff's Office, the Lakeland Police Department and the Florida Highway Patrol. He was charged with attempted second-degree murder, armed kidnapping, armed false imprisonment, aggravated battery with great bodily harm, tampering with a witness, and tampering with physical evidence.
According to HCSO, Medina previously served time in prison for false imprisonment, and has an arrest history that includes kidnapping, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and robbery.
"This suspect's reign of violent terror is now over," Chronister said. "I am endlessly grateful for our law enforcement partners who put their lives on the line in service and protection of our community while apprehending this suspect."
--with reporting by TMX
