A Utah man was arrested Wednesday and charged with kidnapping and multiple counts of assault on allegations he held a woman in a home for “several weeks” and repeatedly beat her, police said.
Ramone Martinez, 39, of Salt Lake City, faces one count of aggravated kidnapping, five counts of aggravated assault and one count of assault, according to a probable cause affidavit for his arrest.
A Salt Lake City police officer went to the home after getting a tip about the woman being held against her will inside the residence, the affidavit said. She had texted someone, saying she was scared for her life and begging for help, according to the document. The recipient of the text spoke with police.
When the officer arrived at the home, Martinez had his hand in his hoodie pocket. The officer, who could see an outline of a gun, ordered the suspect to put his hands in the air, the affidavit said. Martinez complied and was detained.
The officer then spoke with the woman, who had “heavy bruising around both eyes,” according to the affidavit. She told the officer her ribs were hurting and she had difficulty breathing.
“She stated that over a period of several weeks she was threatened to be killed and was assaulted. During this time she was unable to leave or go anywhere freely,” the document said.
The woman told the officer she was assaulted six times on Wednesday. On two of those occasions, she was strangled, according to the affidavit. On another occasion, the suspect held a knife against her throat, the document said.
The suspect, according to the woman, also “grabbed a knife and carved the number 6 in the victim’s left hand stating that she had 6 months to love him or be killed,” the affidavit said.
Martinez was taken to a hospital to be evaluated for high blood pressure.
At the hospital, without being prompted, Martinez admitted strangling the woman, adding that he did so during consensual sex, the affidavit said.
The document also said he threatened to go to Mexico and kill the woman’s brother. According to the affidavit, Martinez has stated he is a millionaire with another home in Arizona, many guns and “access to a large amount of money.”
He was booked in the county jail.
Martinez is likely to flee, if released on bail because he has business contacts in California, Oregon and Arizona, the affidavit said.
It was not immediately clear Thursday morning if Martinez had an attorney.
Antonio Planas
Antonio Planas is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.
Elisha Fieldstadt
contributed
.