MARBLEMOUNT, Wash. — A Skagit County man is being held on charges including kidnapping, rape and assault following a suspicious 911 call in January.
Jean Streitler Jr., 66, has pleaded not guilty to the charges.
About 11:45 a.m. on Jan. 20, a deputy with the Skagit County Sheriff's Office was dispatched to 59000 block of State Route 20, in the Marblemount area of Skagit County, after an anonymous female called 911 and said "someone being held captive" before hanging up.
About noon a second 911 call came in, and the caller reported seeing a female running down a road with handcuffs on. Subsequent 911 calls also reported seeing a female being chased down the road by a male.
Responding officers found a woman in pajamas with handcuffs on her right wrist and duct tape around her neck. The woman was transported by ambulance to PeaceHealth United General Hospital in Sedro Woolley.
The victim underwent a sexual assault examination from two nurses. They told deputies the victim had more than 30 abrasions on the outside of her body, marks consistent with being choked, burns to her vagina and legs, bite marks on her face, and knife wounds on her neck, among others.
The Interview
Following the sexual assault examination, the victim agreed to an interview with police. The victim told police she was 21-years-old and had known Streitler for about one year, had a history of a sexual relationship with him, and that he had physically assaulted her in the past.
The victim said she was arrested at the end of December and he bailed her out on Jan. 8. She told investigators she stayed at his motor home until January 17.
The victim had a court appearance in that earlier on Jan. 18. But she told police Streitler became upset with her the day before because he thought she would leave him once her legal issues were resolved.
About 10 p.m. on Jan. 17, Streitler forced the victim to strip naked, handcuffed her arms around a toilet in his motor home, and tied one of her legs to his sink, according to court documents.
The victim told deputies that Streitler then proceeded to sexually assault her over the next 16 hours, and held a knife to her throat and said, "Can you feel that? You don't know what pain is, but you're going to."
The victim also told investigators that Streitler also burned her with a torch, cut her abdomen and legs and with a knife, and cut her hair.
The next day, Jan. 18, Streitler moved the victim to his bed and injected her ankle with heroin, according to investigators. Streitler told the victim he was going to kill her and make it look like an overdose, court documents show.
Streitler then sexually assaulted the victim again, she told deputies.
Planning an Escape
On Jan. 19, the victim told police Streitler took her with him for the day to attend his uncle’s doctor appointment in Darrington, Washington.
The victim wrote "Please call 911" on a piece of paper, put it in her pocket, and planned to give the note to someone in the office. Streitler allegedly made the victim wear a hat to the doctor's office to hide her cut hair.
The victim told investigators she was too physically exhausted and too scared to ultimately stage an escape.
Following the visit to the doctor's office, the victim and Streitler drove to various job sites, before ultimately returning back to his Marblemount-area motor home, according to prosecutors.
The Final Day
On the morning of Jan. 20, 2018 investigators said Streitler became upset with the victim again, and handcuffed her to cabinets in his motor home.
The victim told police that a man knocked on the door of the motor home and she tried to call for help, but Streitler choked her unconciouss. After regaining consciousness, police said the victim noticed Streitler had left his phone inside while he spoke to the man outside.
Investigators said the victim was able to reach the phone, and used it to make the anonymous 911 call and said "someone being held captive," before hanging up.
The victim said someone called the phone back, and left a voicemail. Police said Streitler listened to the voicemail, uncuffed the victim, and told her he was going to kill the victim and her family.
The victim told police that when Streitler had his back turned, the victim ran outside of the house, and was able to speak to someone in a passing vehicle, prompting the subsequent 911 calls.
The Warrant
After the victim was found on Jan. 20, 2018, detectives ordered two search warrants for Streitler’s property. Detectives located items including a butcher knife, torches, two firearms, among others that were consistent with what the victim had told police.
The Charges
Streitler has been charged with: first-degree kidnapping, four counts of second-degree assault, first-degree rape, felony harassment - threats to kill, and two counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a firearm.
Streitler has plead not guilty to the charges, and a trial has been scheduled in March 2018.
Cox Media Group
