Authorities Investigating Disturbing Crime in Merced County
10/24/2007 - The sheriff's department says a young woman was found burned and barely alive Wednesday morning. Investigators believe the victim was kidnapped from a home in Turlock, and driven across the county line to a field in Ballico.
Merced County sheriff's investigators say the woman was tied up and burned alive about a half a mile down the road. But she managed to walk to a farm where workers found her and called 911.
The men were taking a quick break from their work in the field when they saw what they thought was a Halloween decoration laying on the ground.
"At first I think it's something like plastic, or for Halloween, but when I got close, I see the face nasty, the body nasty, and then I see that it's a person," said one of the workers.
The man, who asked us not to use his name, says he cried when he realized he was looking at a woman who was burned beyond recognition. Still in shock, the men called 911.
Deputy Paul Barile, Merced County Sheriff's Department, says "They told the dispatch center they found a burnt body that was partially restrained."
Deputy Barile says investigators believe the 27 year old victim was brought to this Ballico orchard after being kidnapped in Tulare. They say the suspects tied her up, doused her with gasoline, set her on fire, and left her for dead. But amazingly, the woman survived.
"Apparently after the suspects had left her body, she was able to get out of the restraints or the restraints were burned through," says Deputy Barile.
Deputy Barile says the woman was able to free her feet, but her hands were still tied as she walked to the nearby farm where she collapsed. When emergency crews arrived they flew her to a burn center in the Bay Area.
10/24/2007 - The sheriff's department says a young woman was found burned and barely alive Wednesday morning. Investigators believe the victim was kidnapped from a home in Turlock, and driven across the county line to a field in Ballico.
Merced County sheriff's investigators say the woman was tied up and burned alive about a half a mile down the road. But she managed to walk to a farm where workers found her and called 911.
The men were taking a quick break from their work in the field when they saw what they thought was a Halloween decoration laying on the ground.
"At first I think it's something like plastic, or for Halloween, but when I got close, I see the face nasty, the body nasty, and then I see that it's a person," said one of the workers.
The man, who asked us not to use his name, says he cried when he realized he was looking at a woman who was burned beyond recognition. Still in shock, the men called 911.
Deputy Paul Barile, Merced County Sheriff's Department, says "They told the dispatch center they found a burnt body that was partially restrained."
Deputy Barile says investigators believe the 27 year old victim was brought to this Ballico orchard after being kidnapped in Tulare. They say the suspects tied her up, doused her with gasoline, set her on fire, and left her for dead. But amazingly, the woman survived.
"Apparently after the suspects had left her body, she was able to get out of the restraints or the restraints were burned through," says Deputy Barile.
Deputy Barile says the woman was able to free her feet, but her hands were still tied as she walked to the nearby farm where she collapsed. When emergency crews arrived they flew her to a burn center in the Bay Area.
Ok -- someone tell me why we can't allow"cruel and unusual" punishment for crimes like this. And don't say "it's unconstitutional." I want to know why it has been banned.
It seems to me you can have a law that says "if you deliberately set fire to someone, we're going to torture you slowly for a minimum of 24 hours (one-hour per day) and then kill you at the end of it."
I'm guessing the answer (if any) is going to be the "slippery slope" argument -- and I haven't given it enough thought yet to disagree -- but I shall study it soon.
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