Authorities in southwestern Oregon are warning that a man, suspected of kidnapping a woman and beating her unconscious, may now be using dating apps to evade capture or find possible new victims, according to police.
The suspect, 36-year-old Benjamin Obadiah Foster, has so far evaded capture but appears to be active on online dating services, the Grants Pass Police Department said in a statement Friday.
“Investigation reveals that the suspect actively uses online dating apps to contact unsuspecting individuals who may be enticed to assist in the suspect’s escape or potentially as additional victims,” Grants Pass police said.
The search for Foster began Tuesday after officers found a woman who had been tied up and severely beaten unconscious, Grants Pass police said. She was taken to a hospital in critical condition and is being guarded while the suspect remains at large, police said.
The man fled the scene before officers arrived, but investigators identified Foster as the suspect and asked members of the public to call 911 immediately if they saw him, warning that he “should be considered extremely dangerous.”
Police said Foster “likely received assistance in fleeing the area.” A 68-year-old woman was arrested “for obstructing justice” while authorities were searching for the suspect, according to the department.
