GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A man accused of torturing his ex-wife pleaded no contest during his trial following harrowing testimony about the abuse she endured. Saul Lucio-Ipina, 30, entered the plea after the first day of the trial in Grand Rapids, which dealt with two incidents of alleged abuse last year.
Lucio-Ipina faced charges connected to acts of torture reportedly committed in the basement of the couple’s home. His ex-wife provided the jury with a chilling account of the ordeal, detailing how he electrocuted her and forced her into life-threatening positions.
During her testimony, she described a horrifying incident in January 2023 when Lucio-Ipina accused her of infidelity. He made her stand on a bucket with a rope around her neck, tied to a ceiling beam. She detailed the moment she slipped off the bucket, only to hang momentarily before he released her.
Two months later, the violence resumed during a similar confrontation. Lucio-Ipina forced her into a children’s swing suspended from the ceiling, binding her with rope and metal wire, rendering her unable to move. She recounted how he attached jumper cables to the wires, delivering painful electrical shocks when she answered or did not answer his questions.
The victim spent five hours in captivity before Lucio-Ipina released her, claiming fatigue. She reported the abuse to authorities days later, leading to Lucio-Ipina’s arrest.
Kent County Assistant Prosecutor Angela Curtis called the acts “undoubtedly torture,” emphasizing Lucio-Ipina’s intent to inflict severe pain and suffering.
After the impactful testimony, Lucio-Ipina chose to plead no contest to charges of torture and witness interference. Although he does not admit guilt, the plea will be treated as such for his sentencing set for October 28.