Man Accused Of Torturing Woman Is On The Loose - And On Dating Apps!

[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]

A man in Oregon has been accused of kidnapping and severely assaulting a woman. Unfortunately, a charge is not an arrest — this guy is on the run as police are frantically trying to track him down before he finds another victim!

Cops in Grants Pass, Oregon say Benjamin Obadiah Foster is “an extremely dangerous suspect.” The 36-year-old is currently wanted for attempted murder, kidnapping, and assault.

Cops have been looking for Foster (pictured above, in a recent mugshot) for a week. Last Tuesday, officers responded to a call about a woman who had been found by a friend “bound and severely beaten into unconsciousness.” During the 9-1-1 call, Grants Pass police chief Warren Hensman told CNN, the friend identified Foster as the suspect.

When officers arrived at the home, they found “an absolutely disgusting scene,” according to the chief. Foster is accused of “intentionally” torturing the woman “for a protracted amount of time.” She reportedly had severe injuries to her face, head, and neck. As of Monday, per CNN, the poor woman is still hospitalized in critical condition due to her injuries. Hensman cryptically referenced to the outlet that investigators uncovered other disturbing things at the home that haven’t been revealed:

“I’ve seen a lot in my career, but some things do stick with you, and this will stay stained in my memory for many years to come.”

OMG…

Since then, cops have put together a massive manhunt for Foster. They raided a home in the small nearby community of Wolf Creek on Thursday but unfortunately did not find him there. They did seize his car at the home, though, along with other evidence. And, they arrested a 68-year-old woman and charged her with hindering prosecution.

According to KTVL, the 68-year-old has since been identified as Tina Marie Jones. She was booked into Josephine County Jail on Thursday evening. Regarding her alleged help of the suspect, Hensman told NPR:

“[Foster] evaded capture and likely received assistance in fleeing the area.”

Now, Grants Pass cops have set up a tip line for the case. They have also put together a $2,500 reward for information leading to his capture. Cops are concerned there may be additional victims out there — and they’re especially worried he could still be on the hunt.

In a release sent to the media, the department warned that he finds women on dating apps — and he’s still active on them, possibly searching for more potential victims while on the run:

“The investigation has revealed that the suspect is actively using online dating applications to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be lured into assisting with the suspect’s escape or potentially as additional victims.”

So terrifying…

Police aren’t the only one looking for Foster, either. Dating apps have been on the lookout for his profile and are scanning to see if it pops up anywhere on their sites. A spokesperson for Match Group — which owns Tinder, Hinge, OKCupid, Match and Plenty of Fish — confirmed to NPR on Monday that they are “looking for accounts with Foster’s name” but haven’t found any ones that match yet.

A Bumble spokesperson confirmed that app is also looking for Foster:

“[Bumble is] working around the clock to identify any members based on the information that is available to us at this time. Any time we become aware of a report in the media, we proactively work to identify if the member is within our community and take swift action against their account.”

Further details are coming out about Foster’s troubling past, too.

In 2019, according to the Associated Press, Foster held his then-girlfriend captive in a Las Vegas apartment for two weeks. He had been on a suspended jail sentence at the time for carrying a concealed weapon without a permit. He was also awaiting trial in a 2018 domestic violence case.

According to the police report from the Las Vegas case, the woman suffered several broken ribs and two black eyes. She had been bound at the wrists and ankles with zip ties and duct tape. She told cops that Foster forced her to eat the chemical compound lye and “choked her to the point of unconsciousness,” per NPR. She was finally able to escape after two weeks of captivity after she convinced him to take her to a gas station.

Cops there arrested Foster and charged him with five felonies. However, he ended up taking a deal with Clark County prosecutors in August 2021 — he agreed to plead guilty to just one felony count of battery constituting domestic violence. By doing so, he cut his potential prison time from decades to less than three years. He was also given credit for the 792 days he’d already spent in jail after his arrest. So he got out less than a year later. Following his release, he moved to Oregon.

Now, Hensman says police in the state are “laser-focused” on finding Foster. Here’s more of the latest on the manhunt for Foster:

So scary.

We sincerely hope they catch this guy ASAP before anyone else gets hurt.

If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, help is available. Consider calling the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-7233, or text START to 88788, or go to https://www.thehotline.org/.

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.

[Image via Grants Pass Police Department]