According to court records filed in Harris County.
A Texas man who met a woman on the dating app Bumble on Christmas Eve Bumble kidnapped. Beat and tortured her for five days. After she rejected his sexual advances, authorities said.
Zachary Kent Mills, 21, of Spring, was arrested. And charged Thursday with aggravated kidnapping. After the woman fled her apartment, where she found Mills punching her. Hitting her with a screwdriver and starving her, according to court complaints. Records filed in Harris County District Court.
Mills kidnapped the woman, identified only as JW, after picking her up and taking her to his apartment on Dec. 24. authorities said. According to a probable cause statement. The two began a romantic relationship after meeting on a dating app. At Mills’ apartment, he immediately attempted to have sex with the woman. Who rejected his advances, court records said.
“He immediately began physically assaulting her. And would not allow her to leave the house,” the probable cause statement said. He would “grab a screwdriver and hit her with the handle.”
During his five days in captivity, Mills did not provide him with any food or water. The probable cause statement said.
Mills managed to escape the apartment when he went to visit his father. When authorities interviewed the woman, her injuries included “severe lacerations to both eyes. Bite marks and cuts to her throat and nose, and severe trauma to most of her body.” According to the probable cause statement.
Other court records related to the case show Mills was arrested Friday and booked into jail Saturday.
He was released on $50,000 bond Monday, records show. Court records also show prosecutors requested a $100,000 bond. While his defense requested a $20,000 bond.
Mills’ lawyer, Chris Denuna, said Wednesday.
Over by the Harris County District Attorney’s Office.
Court-imposed conditions on Mills include wearing a GPS check. 24-hour house arrest and an order to stay away from the alleged victim, records and Denuna said.
“We are not guilty,” Denuna said. “That’s the important process … performed before we find these allegations credible or not. That’s the whole point of due process and the presumption of innocence.”
A spokeswoman for the district attorney’s office declined to comment Wednesday. But confirmed the office has requested a $100,000 bond.
In a statement to Houston’s NBC affiliate KPRC, Bumble said: “We are shocked and saddened to hear of this horrific crime. We blocked this member as soon as we became aware of this situation. And under our community guidelines We also have a dedicated law. Enforcement team to respond to any requests from law enforcement agencies as needed.”
