Woman's face branded with 'snitch;' police arrest 4
Tana Anderson
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 21, 2007 07:35 PM
Police arrested four people Thursday, a week after a woman reported she was kidnapped, her head shaved and her face branded with the word "snitch."
Police said the woman, 38, was marked with a homemade branding iron as a form of retaliation after she turned in two of the people arrested to Child Protective Services in February 2006.
The woman said she was kidnapped near Main Street and Dobson Road in Mesa on June 13 and taken to an apartment. The kidnappers shaved part of her head and branded her face with the word "snitch," according to police.
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She was then blindfolded and dropped off near Standage and Pepper Place, police said.
Witnesses found the woman burned, bleeding and stumbling down the street.
A police investigation led to the arrest of four Mesa residents: James H. Standridge, 34, Jackie L. Getz, 26, and Kibbol A. Avila, 33, on suspicion of kidnapping, aggravated assault and unlawful imprisonment; and Preston L. Valdez, 21, on suspicion of aggravated assault and unlawful imprisonment.
Police said Valdez, who they said did the branding, and Avila were recruited by Standridge and Getz to help.
Tana Anderson
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 21, 2007 07:35 PM
Police arrested four people Thursday, a week after a woman reported she was kidnapped, her head shaved and her face branded with the word "snitch."
Police said the woman, 38, was marked with a homemade branding iron as a form of retaliation after she turned in two of the people arrested to Child Protective Services in February 2006.
The woman said she was kidnapped near Main Street and Dobson Road in Mesa on June 13 and taken to an apartment. The kidnappers shaved part of her head and branded her face with the word "snitch," according to police.
She was then blindfolded and dropped off near Standage and Pepper Place, police said.
Witnesses found the woman burned, bleeding and stumbling down the street.
A police investigation led to the arrest of four Mesa residents: James H. Standridge, 34, Jackie L. Getz, 26, and Kibbol A. Avila, 33, on suspicion of kidnapping, aggravated assault and unlawful imprisonment; and Preston L. Valdez, 21, on suspicion of aggravated assault and unlawful imprisonment.
Police said Valdez, who they said did the branding, and Avila were recruited by Standridge and Getz to help.
