A woman who had been kidnapped managed to escape and flag down a passing driver, prompting police to open an investigation.
After a standoff that lasted almost an hour, police identified Negasi Zuberi as the suspect and took him into custody.
Negasi Zuberi: Who is he?
An alleged kidnapper from Klamath Falls, Oregon is named Negasi Zuberi. He was detained on July 16, 2023, and kidnapping charges were brought against him.
He was apprehended that day after being recognized by police at a Walmart in Reno, Nevada, where he was shopping with his wife.
Before police could capture Zuberi, he engaged them in a standoff that lasted for almost an hour.
Additionally, according to the police, Zuberi is connected to at least four more violent sexual assaults.
Zuberi has resided in ten states since 2016, including California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Nevada.
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He was characterized by his Klamath Falls neighbors as “not overly friendly but not a jerk.”
According to Melanie McClure, “nothing stood out to me that would speak to anything like what he’s being accused of.”
“I suppose I’m surprised I missed nothing. The truth is that anyone can conceal anything.”
Who are the victims of Negasi Zuberi?
The names of Zuberi’s alleged victims have not yet been made public by the FBI.
Investigators have connected him to four additional alleged sexual assault cases in addition to the case of the Seattle woman who was kidnapped.
According to the FBI, Zuberi used a variety of tricks to entice victims, such as pretending to be a police officer, dosing their drinks with drugs, and finding sex workers to physically assault.
The Seattle woman in question was taken against her will to Zuberi’s house in Klamath Falls on July 15, 2023.
The woman claims she remembers being sexually assaulted during the kidnapping and being held captive in a makeshift cell in the garage of the alleged kidnapper’s house.
“According to the complaint, this woman was kidnapped, chained, sexually assaulted, and locked in a cinderblock cell,” said Stephanie Shark of the FBI.
“The woman battled for her life, beating this cell’s walls and doors with bloody hands.
“The victim’s determination, focus, and will led law enforcement to act, which may have actually prevented many other women from going through the same nightmare.
At least four sexual assaults in at least four states have been connected to Zuberi. There might be more victims, in our opinion.
“The disturbing evidence uncovered to date points to a person’s ongoing and escalating pattern of violence targeting women in multiple states across the country,” the statement reads.
Zuberi might be sentenced to life in prison if found guilty of interstate kidnapping.
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