The hearing scheduled Friday for two suspects accused of kidnapping a San Jose handyman and forcing him to perform home repairs in Morgan Hill was continued, authorities said.
The next hearing for Jason DeJesus, 36 of Morgan Hill , and Chanelle Troedson, 33 of Morgan Hill, is scheduled for Feb. 15 at South County Courthouse, according to Santa Clara County Deputy District Attorney Troy Benson.
DeJesus and Troedson face charges of kidnapping during a carjacking, kidnapping to commit robbery, battery causing serious bodily injury, assault by force likely and false imprisonment.
The charges are related to the couple’s Dec. 3 arrest in which a 50-year-old handyman told police the two suspects lured him to their north Morgan Hill home and forced him to make some repairs at the home.
The confrontation between the kidnappers and their victim originated a couple months earlier, when the victim performed work at the home of a relative of one of the suspects, police said. The suspect’s relative only paid the victim for a portion of the work, resulting in a dispute over services rendered.
On Dec. 3, sheriff’s deputies responded to the area of Santa Teresa Boulevard and Cottle Road, after a call from San Jose Police who reported they had DeJesus and Troedson in custody, authorities said.
The victim told investigators that earlier that morning, the suspects lured the victim to a home on the 200 block of Caldwell Court, police said. The suspects wanted the victim to perform “repair work” on an appliance at the home for them.
When the victim arrived, the suspects immediately assaulted him, held him against his will and repeatedly threatened to kill him for several hours, police said. They subsequently forced the man to conduct more repair work at the residence.
At about 5:30 p.m. Dec. 3, the suspects forced the victim into his own truck, police said. The suspects entered the truck as well, and one of them drove as they told the victim they were going to the relative’s house in Santa Clara, which was the subject of the original dispute.
The suspects told the victim they were going to force him to complete the work he started two months earlier at the Santa Clara home, police said.
While en route to the suspect’s relative’s home, the suspects stopped for gas near Santa Teresa Boulevard and Cottle Road in San Jose, according to police. The suspects exited the truck to pay for gas and snacks. They told the victim to remain inside the vehicle.
While the suspects were outside the vehicle, the victim managed to escape on foot, police said. He ran to a nearby residence to report the incident.
San Jose police responded and found the two suspects in the area, authorities said.
A third suspect in the kidnapping was arrested several days later, but the D.A.’s office declined to file charges against him due to insufficient evidence.
DeJesus and Troedson remain in custody at Santa Clara County Jail.
