Five Arrested After Woman Found Chained and Tortured in Tx Backyard

AUSTIN, Texas — A disturbing investigation is underway after a woman was found half-naked, severely injured, and chained to exercise equipment in the backyard of a South Austin home — a situation police say may have gone on for months.

Officers with the Austin Police Department responded to the residence around 9 a.m. on October 30 after neighbors reported hearing a woman screaming for help. When officers arrived, they discovered the victim handcuffed to a punching bag stand, partially unclothed and showing signs of serious abuse and neglect.

Due to the heavy metal restraints, firefighters had to bring specialized tools to free the woman. Investigators said she appeared malnourished and covered in injuries consistent with long-term restraint and physical assault.

While police worked to rescue the victim, five adults inside the home attempted to flee but were quickly detained. Officers also found two young children at the residence, who were later placed in the care of Child Protective Services.

According to an affidavit, the woman had been held captive for several months, beaten, starved, and even shot with BB guns by her captors — people she once considered friends. One suspect reportedly admitted to shooting the woman “because he hated her.”

The suspects have been identified as:

Michelle Garcia, 51
Crystal Garcia, 21
Mache Carney, 32
Juan Pablo Castro, 30
Maynard Lefevers, 21

All five have been charged with aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, and injury to an elderly or disabled person. They are being held at the Travis County Jail on bonds of $305,000 each.

An affidavit also revealed that a 4-year-old boy living in the home told police that his father would shoot the woman “when she was bad,” while others watched.

The victim, who was taken to a hospital for treatment, told police that she had known some of the suspects for years and often stayed at the home — until one day, they “decided they didn’t like her anymore” and refused to let her leave.

Court records show several of the suspects are scheduled to appear in court in mid- and late-November, with others facing hearings in December as the investigation continues.
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This report was compiled using information gathered from law enforcement statements, official press releases, and publicly available news sources.

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