A man from Oregon was suspected of abducting a woman last week and subsequently killing two men while trying to evade the police. He took his own life on Tuesday evening after a standoff with law enforcement, according to officials at a press conference on Wednesday.
On January 24th at 7 pm, Grants Pass police officers discovered a female victim who had been brutally tied up and beaten to the point of unconsciousness. This initiated a weeklong search for the suspect, as announced in a press release.
Authorities started looking for Benjamin Foster, 36 years old, straight away as they stated he is armed and hazardous. The following day, they got arrest warrants for him for the alleged crimes of attempted murder, assault, and kidnapping.
At a press conference on Wednesday, it was revealed that an unnamed female victim is in a critical but stable state. It has been reported that she had previously been in a relationship with Foster.
On Thursday, law enforcement were informed that Foster was at a certain location. However, he managed to get away from them during the first standoff. In response, police immediately established a task force and opened up a tip line in the hopes of catching him.
Police informed the public that Foster was using dating apps to reach out to people who could help him escape or become potential victims.
On Monday, following a tip, law enforcement personnel in Sunny Valley, Oregon, started a well-being check by visiting residences in the area.
Capt. Kyle Kennedy from Oregon State Police reported that after looking through an open window during this wellness check, they witnessed a violent crime scene. Richard Barron Jr. and Donald Griffith, who were living together, were pronounced dead at the scene due to blunt force trauma.
An investigation helped to determine that Foster had committed the murders.
At 7:10am on Tuesday, a taxi driver took Foster to a residence in Grants Pass. The driver then contacted law enforcement and provided them with information, according to the police chief. By using the driver’s information, investigators were able to locate Foster at the residence and found him hiding beneath the home.
At the end of the pursuit, Foster ended his own life with one shot of a .45-caliber gun.