A 50-year-old San Jose handyman was held against his will by two suspects and forced to perform repairs at a home in unincorporated Morgan Hill before escaping, authorities said.
At about 6:51 p.m. Monday, Santa Clara County Sheriff’s communications received a phone call from San Jose police who had a man and woman accused of kidnapping and assaulting the victim in custody near the intersection of Santa Teresa Boulevard and Cottle Road, according to Sgt. Jose Cardoza with the Sheriff’s Office.
As the initial crime happened outside San Jose’s jurisdiction, sheriff’s deputies responded and spoke to the victim, a 50-year-old handyman from San Jose, Cardoza said.
The victim told investigators that he had performed home repairs for a relative of one of the suspects about two months earlier, police said. The suspect’s relative only paid the victim for a portion of the work, resulting in a dispute over services rendered.
On Monday, about 10:45 a.m., the suspects lured the victim to a home on the 200 block of Caldwell Court in north Morgan Hill, Cardoza 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, Cardoza said. They subsequently forced the man to conduct more repair work at the residence.
At about 5:30 p.m., 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 Cardoza. 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 suspects in the area, Cardoza said.
Deputies arrived and arrested the suspects – Jason DeJesus, 36 of Morgan Hill, and Chanelle Troedson, 33 of Morgan Hill – on suspicion of false imprisonment, kidnapping, assault with a deadly weapon, criminal threats and conspiracy, Cardoza said.
Anyone with more information about this case can contact Detective Sgt. Julian Quinonez or Detective Sgt. Dave Roberts at the sheriff’s office at (408) 808-4500, or the anonymous tip line at (408) 808-4431.
