Brave Escape Leads to Uncovering Serial Kidnapper and Sexual Assaulter in Oregon

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Woman Escapes Homemade Cinder Block Cell, Alerts Authorities to Serial Kidnapper

Klamath Falls, Oregon – In a harrowing ordeal that came to light this week, a woman managed to escape her kidnapper after being held captive in a makeshift cinder block cell. Authorities believe her actions not only saved her own life but also potentially prevented other women from experiencing the same nightmare.

Negasi Zuberi, 29, is facing federal charges including interstate kidnapping after allegedly posing as an undercover police officer and kidnapping the woman in Seattle. He then drove her hundreds of miles to his home in Klamath Falls, Oregon, where he imprisoned her in a homemade cinder block cell in his garage.

The victim, whose identity has not been disclosed, found the strength to break down the cell door by repeatedly hitting it with her own bloodied fists. The FBI lauded her quick thinking and resilience, stating that her escape may have prevented other women from suffering a similar fate.

After she escaped, Zuberi fled Klamath Falls but was apprehended the following day by Nevada state police in Reno. Court records indicate that he has not yet been assigned an attorney or a public defender.

Zuberi has been indicted on charges of interstate kidnapping and transporting a person across state lines with the intent to engage in criminal sexual activity. If convicted, he faces life imprisonment.

According to the FBI, Zuberi has gone by various names and has lived in multiple states since 2016, including California, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, Utah, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Alabama, and Nevada. Authorities suspect that Zuberi may have been involved in sexual assaults in several of these states, although specific details have not been released.

The criminal complaint filed in the US District Court in Oregon details Zuberi’s alleged solicitation of the victim and subsequent kidnapping. He reportedly presented himself as an undercover officer, displaying a badge, pointing a stun gun at her, and handcuffing and shackling her legs before driving her to his residence. Along the way, Zuberi sexually assaulted her before locking her in the cinder block cell.

The victim managed to free herself by repeatedly striking the door with her bare and bloodied hands. She then found Zuberi’s gun, used it to open the garage door, and fled, leaving blood on a nearby wooden fence. She flagged down a passing driver who promptly called 911.

Zuberi was eventually apprehended in a Walmart parking lot in Reno, where he attempted to resist arrest and destroy evidence. His wife and neighbors were questioned but authorities have not revealed whether they had any knowledge of the kidnapping.

The search of Zuberi’s home and garage uncovered the victim’s purse and handwritten notes, one of which was labeled “Operation Take Over” and contained instructions on avoiding detection. Another note appeared to be a sketch of an underground structure made with cinder blocks, foam insulation, and waterproof concrete.

The FBI is urging potential victims to come forward and has stated that there is evidence suggesting Zuberi may have drugged his victims. The agency also revealed that the Klamath Falls rental property where the victim was held belongs to the city’s mayor, Carol Westfall and her husband, who had Zuberi evicted after his arrest.

In a written statement, Mayor Westfall and her husband expressed shock and appall at the situation and commended the victim for her bravery. The investigation into the case is ongoing, and authorities are working to determine whether Zuberi had other victims in the states he has resided in.

(with information from AP)
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