A 57-year-old man was apprehended in New Jersey for allegedly abducting a woman and keeping her detained against her will for almost a year until she managed to escape.
James W. Parrillo Jr. was charged with one count of first-degree kidnapping, second-degree strangulation, aggravated assault, and third-degree criminal restraint. He is also accused of refusing to give a DNA sample to avoid being caught.
The victim and Parrillo, who went by Brett Parker, met at a gas station in New Mexico in February 2022. She offered him a lift to Arizona, and the two began a short-lived relationship.
However, after a month, the relationship turned sour, and Parrillo began to assault her physically. Furthermore, he removed her phone and debit card and isolated her from her family.
In December, the couple rented a room in New Jersey, and, on the 7th of February, Parrillo engaged in a violent argument with the victim.
He strangled her but stopped when he realized they were not alone in the house. The victim escaped to a nearby gas station and locked the door, informing the attendant that she had been kidnapped. Parrillo followed her and tried to get in but eventually fled and was arrested.
The New Jersey State Police Superintendent, Col. Patrick J. Callahan, stated that the victim had been through a “nightmare” that had spanned multiple states.
At a bond hearing on Wednesday, prosecutors found evidence of Parrillo having similar predatory behavior towards victims in other states.
Matthew J. Platkin, the New Jersey Attorney General, also released a statement, saying that they were reaching out to law enforcement in other jurisdictions to find out more about the defendant.