A Florida man who allegedly tortured, beat, and held a woman captive for months has been arrested.
According to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, 48-year-old Walter Medina of Tampa met the female victim who was panhandling in January of 2024. Medina gave the victim food and narcotics.
He would eventually start torturing her for around 2 1/2 months, with HCSO saying that Medina would hit her with a wooden baseball bat and a flathead screwdriver.
Authorities said the victim was left alone inside Medina's van at a Walgreens for a short time on April 1, and was able to escape and get help. She had severe injuries to her face and body from the attacks, including broken ribs, deep puncture wounds, and extensive bruising, and was taken to a local hospital for treatment.
