Document: Woman accused of stealing meth kidnapped and assaulted; 2 suspects on the run

A woman told police she was kidnapped, beaten and doused with antifreeze after she was accused of stealing an alleged drug dealer’s meth, a criminal complaint obtained by ABC-7 states.

Two of the suspects are in custody while another two are currently considered fugitives.

A spokeswoman with the sheriff’s department tells ABC-7 investigators arrested 29-year-old Juan Diego Martinez, of 8910 Englehardt in Las Cruces, New Mexico, on Sunday, July 29th. Martinez is facing two counts of First Degree Kidnapping, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping and Aggravated Battery Causing Great Bodily Harm.

Online jail records indicate 33-year-old Valerie Montano was arrested Monday, July 30th. She is charged with with two counts of First Degree Kidnapping, Conspiracy to Commit Kidnapping, Aggravated Battery Causing Great Bodily Harm and Tampering with Evidence. The Las Cruces Sun News reports, that at the time of the alleged kidnapping, Valerie Montano was out on bond after she was charged for the theft of an all-terrain vehicle.

The Doña Ana County Sheriff’s Department has obtained arrest warrants for Eddie Montano and Leslie Magallanes on charges of Kidnapping and Conspiracy. Montano is also facing a charge of Aggravated Battery Causing Great Bodily Harm.

A criminal complaint obtained by ABC-7 states Martinez sold meth and stolen vehicles. The victim told investigators she was staying at Martinez’s home, and although she is not in a “romantic” relationship with him, she occasionally had sex with Martinez.

On July 26, 2018, the victim was accused of stealing meth from Martinez, who allegedly slapped the victim, made her take off her clothes and forced her to take a shower with cold water for 30 minutes.

After the shower, Martinez told the victim to put on some shorts and a shirt and told her to go to his “shop,” a separate building on the property. Martinez allegedly forced the victim to spend the night in the shop and ordered Eddie Montano and Leslie Magallanes to keep an eye on the victim. Magallanes and Edie Montano allegedly tied the victim’s hands and feet.

The next morning, Martinez allegedly entered the shop and untied the victim, telling her he loved her and merely wanted to teach her a lesson. Once back inside the home, Martinez allegedly asked if he could use the victim’s cell phone. When given the cell phone, Martinez checked the victim’s Facebook messages and learned the victim had sent a message to a friend stating she was being held against her will.

At that point, the victim was allegedly taken back inside the shop. She told investigators she feared she was not “going to make it out this time” and that she “would never see her kids again.” Martinez’s wife, who also lived at the home, then entered the shop and told Martinez there were several people in SUVs waiting for him outside. Martinez allegedly told Eddie Montano to “hold the prisoner,” allegedly referring to the victim.

The victim said she was able to grab hold of a kitchen knife, which she used to free herself. The victim attempted to run out of the shop, but fell. At that point, Eddie Montano allegedly slammed the victim to the ground and began kicking her, the document states. As the victim started yelling for help, Eddie Montano allegedly covered her mouth. Martinez also approached the victim and allegedly began kicking her, the document states.

The victim was dragged back to the shop by the Martinez, Eddie Montano and Valerie Montano, the criminal complaint states. While the victim was inside the shop, Valerie and Eddie Montano allegedly poured anti-freeze on her in order to wash away her blood, the court document states. The victim told investigators it was cold and she lost a lot of blood. She was covered with a blanket and “dozed off,” the document states.

When she woke up, the victim noticed Martinez working in the shop. Martinez allegedly told the woman “they wanted her head in Mexico,” but that he would help her. Martinez took the woman to a bathroom and gave her some pillows and blankets so she could sleep.

The victim said she was able to escape when Martinez gave a ride to a woman and the victim was asked to accompany him. When they arrived at the Chucky’s gas station on the 5900 block of Bataan Memorial, Martinez allegedly exited the vehicle to speak with a person he recognized.

The victim, left inside the vehicle on her own, grabbed a cell phone that was left behind and called 911 to ask for help. The victim then ran into the gas station to seek help.

ABC-7 spoke with the owner of the store, Arcelia Mascarenas, who said the woman rushed into the store saying she’d been kidnapped. The woman told her she had stolen her attacker’s phone in order to call 911. “She was just crying. She was scared and covered in blood and bruises,” Mascarenas said, “She was pretty sure that they were going to kill her. That was the day that she was going to die. She was almost certain, I mean, I felt chills. I still get chills.”

When police arrived at the store, the victim said she suffered several facial injuries when her alleged kidnapers attacked her the day before. Further, the victim told investigators she had been at Martinez’s home “scrapping serial numbers off guns.”

The woman further claimed Eddie and Valerie Montano help Martinez exchange stolen vehicles for drugs in Mexico. The victim also said Martinez took a photo of her using her own cell phone and told her that he shared that photo with his “bosses” in Mexico.

ABC-7 visited Martinez’s residence to ask for his side of the story. Martinez, who is not in jail anymore, said the woman lied about everything. He declined to go on camera.