Tuesday, August 22nd 2023, 5:45 pm
A man in Tulsa is wanted for kidnapping and assault after authorities said he repeatedly beat, strangled, and threatened to rape his ex-girlfriend over several days at a homeless camp.
The victim escaped Monday afternoon when the suspect, Bobby Lee Mann, fell asleep in his encampment near 8100 Charles Page Blvd, The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office said.
The 53-year-old suspect had her captured since Saturday, deputies said.
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The victim had recently reported Mann to police for assaulting her, deputies said. Deputies said that made Mann angry, so he found the victim at a motel and threatened to kill her.
"He approaches her, orders her to drop the charges. She refuses, he pulls a knife and says if she doesn't go with him to the homeless encampment, he's going to stab her and kill her right there in the parking lot,” said Casey Roebuck with the Tulsa County Sheriff’s Office.
Mann then took her to the camp, and beat, strangled, and threatened to rape the victim, according to deputies. The victim told deputies other people at the camp saw the assault but refused to help. The victim then escaped Monday when Mann fell asleep.
“We respond and her eyes are nearly swollen shut, she's got injuries all over her, she's even scraped up from running through the grass, in an attempt to get away from her attacker,” said Roebuck.
Deputies said investigating crimes involving the homeless can be challenging because they don't have a permanent address, don't have a phone that can be tracked, and often don't have a car.
Deputies said they often see women who are abused that are too afraid to come forward.
"That is not the case here. She came forward, she reported him, she filed charges, she did everything she was supposed to do, and he found her and he beat her all over again,” said Roebuck. “She's been a good witness and she is determined to see justice so we want to do whatever we can to try to help her feel safe again."
Records show Mann has been in and out of prison since 1992 for burglary, drugs, and stealing cars. Deputies said Mann is known to be in the West Tulsa County area.
Lee Mann is 6 feet tall, 200 pounds, with brown hair and hazel eyes. He may be riding a ten-speed bike that says "specialized" in white lettering on the frame, deputies said.
If you see him, call 911.
Image Provided By: Tulsa County Sheriff's Office
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