Five Arrested After Texas Woman Found Chained and Tortured in Backyard for Months
- Justice Watchdog
- Nov 5
- 3 min read
Updated: Nov 22
A shocking case of alleged torture and unlawful captivity has emerged in Austin, Texas, where a woman was found half-naked, handcuffed, and chained to a metal stand in a backyard. Authorities say she had been held there for months by five people she once considered friends.
Austin Police Rescue Torture Victim
According to the Austin Police Department, officers responded to a 911 call around 9 a.m. on October 30 after neighbors reported a woman screaming for help. When police arrived at the residence on the city’s south side, they discovered the victim naked from the waist down, shackled to a punching-bag stand, and suffering from visible injuries consistent with long-term abuse.
Due to the strength of the restraints, officers had to call the Austin Fire Department, which brought specialized tools to cut through the metal. The woman was finally freed and immediately transported to a local hospital.
Investigators said she showed signs of severe malnutrition, open wounds, swelling, and scarring from BB pellets, as well as loss of tissue in her hands and feet. Medical scans later revealed a BB pellet lodged in her right eye.
Victim Reported Months of Captivity
Police detained five adults found at the home after they attempted to flee the scene. The suspects were identified as:
Michelle Garcia, 51
Crystal Garcia, 21
Mache Carney, 32
Juan Pablo Castro, 30
Maynard Lefevers, 21
Two small children were also found at the home and placed in Child Protective Services custody for safety and care.
According to an affidavit obtained by the Austin American-Statesman, the woman told detectives she had been close friends with Michelle Garcia. At some point, the group allegedly decided they “no longer liked her” and began keeping her captive in the backyard.
She was forced to live outdoors, fed only one plate of food a day, and beaten whenever she tried to escape. Michelle Garcia reportedly told investigators she limited the woman’s meals because she believed the victim had become “chunky.”
Details of Abuse Emerge in Court Documents
The woman described enduring repeated beatings, starvation, and BB gun attacks. On the night before she was found, she said her pants slipped down and she “got in trouble,” prompting one of the suspects to shoot her with a BB rifle as “punishment.” She was then left half-naked and chained outside overnight in freezing temperatures.
Investigators say Castro admitted to shooting the woman with an electric BB rifle “because he didn’t want to touch her,” adding that he “f–king hates her.” His four-year-old son later told officers his father would shoot the woman whenever she was “bad,” while Carney watched nearby.
Charges and Legal Proceedings
All five suspects have been arrested and charged with:
Aggravated kidnapping
Aggravated assault
Injury to the elderly or disabled
Unlawful restraint
They are being held in the Travis County Jail on $305,000 bail each. Court records show Carney and Michelle Garcia are scheduled to appear before a judge on November 18 and 21, while Crystal Garcia, Castro, and Lefevers will return to court on December 15.
The case remains under active investigation by the Austin Police Department.
The horrifying case underscores the growing issue of domestic captivity, abuse, and systemic oversight failures in local law enforcement and social services.Justice Watchdog continues to monitor similar human rights and criminal justice cases across the U.S.
Need Help or Know Someone in Danger?
If you or someone you know is being held against their will, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 or local law enforcement immediately.
