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AZ man accused of kidnapping had troubled past
We are learning more about the past of a Phoenix man who place say kept his girlfriend captive in a shed for weeks. FOX 10 Investigator Justin Lum reports.
PHOENIX - We are learning more about the past of Timothy Wood, a Phoenix man who police allege kept his girlfriend captive in a shed for two weeks.
The backstory:
Per our initial report on July 7, Wood, who is 36, is accused of kidnapping and sexual assault-related offenses in connection with the alleged crime.
Wood was arrested outside his parents' home near Glendale and 23rd Avenues. In his initial court appearance, prosecutors detailed claims made by the victim.
"He held her captive for over 14 days, imprisoned in a shed. He beat her. He forced sex on her under threats of death. He held down her neck to stop her breathing. He tied her down at the door with lots of chains. He threatened to cut off her foot with a saw, and then he pulled out a saw and actually did injure her foot to some extent," a prosecutor said in court. "He dug a hole underneath the shed, and he buried her for two days. This victim, very well for 14 days, may have been worried that she may not survive this incident."
According to court documents, Wood used chains to keep the shed doors from opening and also put bricks in front of the doors so she couldn't get out. The woman was able to escape through the back of the shed.
The victim reportedly suffered bruises across her body, with a broken rib and bite marks on her.
The other side:
In court, Wood denied the claims.
"These are some crazy allegations. I don't ... that's not me," he said. "I have three kids and this is just ... she just got out of the loony bin or whatever. I don't know. It's in Mesa. I guess she has these episodes, and when she has an episode, I'm supposed to call her mom. I wasn't home at the time. When I got home, the police were there, and this all just kind of broke out."
What We Know Now:
According to court records we obtained, Woods pleaded guilty in multiple cases involving domestic violence, and through these documents, we know of two women whom Wood threatened to kill.
Timothy James Wood
2007
In 2007, Wood threatened a girlfriend of his at the time, who was screaming next to his truck during an incident.
According to court records, Wood tried to force her into his car, and according to the victim, he didn’t want to reconcile but said ‘would just probably kill her.'
Wood was 19 at the time, and the victim, who was a minor at the time, filed a restraining order.
The victim’s grandmother pleaded with a judge to sentence Wood to maximum jail time, saying "he will eventually seriously injure or kill some other young, foolish, vulnerable girl."
Wood ultimately pleaded guilty to aggravated assault – domestic violence, and served 180 days in county jail.
2010
Three years later, in 2010, Woods was involved with the law once again.
On New Year’s Day, Wood choked his then-girlfriend, who was eight months pregnant with his child. That woman later filed for an order of protection, and he threatened to kill her if she didn’t let him see their baby.
In a letter to a judge, the victim wrote ‘I fear him’ and ‘does he have to kill someone before he goes away?’
What's next:
The Maricopa County Attorney's Office confirmed that no felony charges against Wood have been filed, and the case was sent back to Phoenix Police.
Wood is currently in Lower Buckeye Jail on a $150,000 cash bond. His next court hearing is on July 11.