3 arrested after woman reports being held hostage and tortured

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI/KIDK) - Three individuals have been arrested after a woman reports being held hostage and tortured.

Idaho Falls Police Dispatch received a call from a person who stated a woman had stopped them on the street and asked them to call 911 on Wednesday.

The woman appeared to have been severely beaten and had cuts on her face and told the person she had been held hostage and had just escaped.

Idaho Falls Police officers responded and found the victim who appeared to have visible bruises in various states of healing, burns and fresh cuts on her face.

The victim was transported to an area hospital for treatment.

Idaho Falls Police detectives spoke with the victim, and she described being held captive and tortured by a man and two women over a period of time.

The victim disclosed multiple instances of abuse including being punched, hit with various objects, having her hair cut, being cut with a knife and being burned with a blow torch.

The victim reported an instance where she had been tied to a chair and her captors had poured lighter fluid under the chair and on the victim before igniting it and causing severe burns to the victim’s leg.

The victim reported that that day the two women had tied her to the chair again and cut her hair and face before leaving.

The victim was able to escape from the chair and out a window.

Evaluation at the hospital found the victim had injuries consistent with the abuse described by the victim, including a severe burn on her thigh, cuts on her face, burns on her arms and multiple other injuries and bruises in various stages of healing.

In the early morning hours of June 23, the Idaho Falls Police SWAT Team and detectives executed a search warrant at the address on Canal where the victim stated this had occurred.

Detectives found multiple items of evidence corroborating the victim’s account including a charred chair in the basement with ligatures still attached, lighter fluid, propane torches, cut hair on the floor and in trash bags, various knives and other items matching abuse and descriptions given by the victim.

Methamphetamine was also found inside the residence.

Detectives conducted an additional investigation and requested warrants for the arrest of the three individuals who were identified as participants in these criminal acts. Those warrants were granted and the three individuals were immediately arrested by Idaho Falls Police Officers.

Jorge Balderas, a 26-year-old man, was arrested for felony kidnapping and three counts of felony aggravated battery.

Sasha Martinez, a 33-year-old woman, was arrested for two counts of felony kidnapping, felony aggravated battery, misdemeanor battery and felony possession of a controlled substance.

Laura Zamudio, a 28-year-old woman, was arrested for two counts of felony kidnapping, and one count of misdemeanor battery.

Balderas, Martinez and Zamudio were each taken to the Bonneville County Jail.