HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — A man accused of torturing another woman in captivity for months has been arrested, according to the Hillsborough County Sherriff's Office.
On Monday deputies responded to a Mobil Gas Station in Seffner after receiving a call about an injured woman that escaped a van and needed help. After authorities arrived, she was transported to a local hospital for treatment.
The woman had reportedly been panhandling in the area of Hillsborough Avenue and Habana Avenue in Tampa since January when she met 48-year-old Walter Medina.
According to the sheriff's office, Medina provided food and narcotics to her before starting to act violently, putting the woman through months of physical abuse and captivity.
Deputies say Medina assaulted her with a wooden baseball bat and a flathead screwdriver, causing injuries such as broken ribs, punctured wounds and extensive bruising. The abuse reportedly happened over the course of two and a half months.
The woman took the opportunity to escape after Medina left her unattended at a Walgreens, according to deputies.
After receiving an arrest warrant, Medina was arrested on Tuesday following a pursuit with the Polk County Sheriff's Office, Lakeland Police Department and Florida Highway Patrol.
"This suspect's reign of violent terror is now over," Hillsborough County Sheriff Chad Chronister said in a statement. “I am endlessly grateful for our law enforcement partners who put their lives on the line in service and protection of our community while apprehending this suspect. This joint effort exemplifies the strength of our community's law enforcement network and our shared commitment to keeping our streets safe.”
The sheriff's office says Medina previously served time in prison for a false imprisonment case and has an arrest history including kidnapping, aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer and robbery.
"I can’t imagine the torture this victim endured for months, but I can imagine the relief she felt when our deputies arrived,” Chronister said in a statement. “I have to commend the bravery of the victim for escaping her captor and seeking help. Our thoughts are with her as she recovers from this traumatic ordeal.”
Medina now faces multiple charges, including:
- Attempted 2nd-degree murder
- Armed kidnapping
- Armed false imprisonment
- Aggravated battery with great bodily harm
- Tampering with a witness
- Tampering with physical evidence
