Vegas Man Accused Of Holding Girlfriend Hostage, Torturing Her For Weeks, And Feeding Her A Lye Sandwich

A Las Vegas man is accused of holding his girlfriend in captivity, torturing her physically and psychologically, shaving her head, breaking several of her bones and feeding her lye.

Benjamin Obadiah Foster, 33, was arrested by Las Vegas Metro Police earlier this month and charged with first-degree kidnapping, two counts of domestic battery, two counts of assault and coercion or threat of force, according to online court records. The victim was reportedly held in captivity between Sept. 16 and Oct. 2.

Foster allegedly took the woman captive, broke seven of her ribs, gave her two black eyes and burnt one of her fingers with lye because he was paranoid she was having him followed, and believed she had installed surveillance devices throughout their home, including in the microwave, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported.

Foster was convinced “she had cameras hiding all inside the residence that watch him to include the microwave,” the police incident report stated.

The 33-year-old’s paranoia, though, soon turned “physical,” authorities said.

By the time she had been rescued, the woman’s wrists and ankles were riddled with bruises from her limbs being forcibly bound, police said. She told police she had been strangled until she passed out and that Foster had threatened to kill her with a knife and a pistol he allegedly brandished while she was being tortured and held against her will. She also accused Foster of shaving one side of her head one day, and then buzzing the other side the following day. The boyfriend is also accused of feeding his girlfriend a sandwich made with lye, according to the Las Vegas Sun.

Benjamin Obadiah Foster Photo: Las Vegas Metropolitan PD

Investigators stated that the woman wasn’t allowed to use the bathroom unsupervised and was forced to keep her hands “in constant contact with Foster’s body,” the Review-Journal also reported.

The woman allegedly made her escape on a grocery run on Oct. 2. She had previously told Foster they needed food and water. Foster allowed her to accompany him, and while at a gas station and as he was letting his dog out of the vehicle, the woman made a dash for it, authorities said. She darted into another store close by and used a rear exit, which led to an apartment complex where a resident of the building found her in a “panic” and took the “frantic” woman to Mountain View Hospital. Hospital staff notified emergency dispatchers to the suspected kidnapping.

Foster was arrested by a Las Vegas Metro Police SWAT team later that day inside the woman’s apartment, the Review-Journal reported. 

Foster been trained in mixed martial arts and was serving a suspended sentence for allegedly carrying a concealed weapon at the time the suspected kidnapping occurred, the paper reported. Police, who also noted Foster has previous domestic battery charges pending against him, haven’t identified Foster’s girlfriend. It's unclear if the earlier domestic battery charges involve the same woman.

Foster is scheduled in court for a preliminary hearing on Oct. 21 at 10 a.m. He’s currently being held without bond at a detention center in Clark County.

Las Vegas Metro Police didn't respond to Oxygen.com's request for comment.