BENTON, AR - Three people are in jail tonight accused of false imprisonment and beating three women in Saline County. According to detectives, the entire incident started over a dispute involving some stolen tools.
Three suspects, David lee, Tamera Moore and Eli Wilson appear via video arraignment in Benton District Court on Wednesday.
Two women, who detectives say are victims, were there too. Sara Stanart even spoke out during Wilson's appearance.
"This is the guy that said who said he would kill us if we said his name," Stanart said in court. "And yeah, they weren't there, but they said they would be coming back. We just moved locations so no one would find us. I'm saying he's dangerous and I don't think none of the three should be let out."
According to an arrest report the three women were tied and beaten inside this mobile home in the 2000 block of Avilla Vicentage Road north of I-30 in Saline County.
Stanart says she was actually let outside for a smoke break by Lee. At that point she escaped, made it a quarter of mile down the road to New Life Baptist Church where she says she called police. In court, she said she feared for her life.
"Our fear was great. They had us tied up,” Stanart says. If I wouldn't have escaped they would have killed us, all three of us. We were dead. They told us they would kill us."
Because of what Benton District Court Judge Mike Robinson called "an extreme set of facts", he assigned a $100,000 for Lee and Moore and a $150,000 bond for Wilson.
All three face charges of false imprisonment, battery and terroristic threatening.
"The other day I felt I was as close to death as I could ever be," Stanhart says.
Stanart told FOX16 her captors stole her clothes so she, in response, stole their tools.
"You're going to hog tie and try to kill someone over tools, that's a little extreme don't you think," Stanart said before leaving the courthouse.
Detectives say according to witness statements, the women were likely tied up for more than three hours.
One of the victims went to the hospital to be treated for facial injuries.
All three suspects are due back in court on February 12.
