Man Arrested, Accused Of Kidnapping, Assaulting Woman In Tulsa

A Tulsa man has been arrested after deputies say he kidnapped a woman and assaulted her.

The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office says Bobby Lee Mann was taken into custody Monday after they got a tip about his whereabouts. TCSO says Mann was spotted near 300 E 11th Street and arrested without a struggle.

According to investigators, Mann is accused of kidnapping, beating, strangling, and threatening to rape his ex-girlfriend over the course of several days.

The victim escaped Monday, Aug. 21 when Mann, fell asleep in his encampment near 8100 Charles Page Blvd, The Tulsa County Sheriff's Office said.

Officers Escort Mann into Tulsa County Jail

Story Timeline: Man Wanted For Kidnapping, Assault In Tulsa After Woman Escapes Captivity

Deputies say the victim had recently reported Bobby Lee Mann to police for assaulting her which made Mann angry, so he found the victim at a motel and threatened to kill her.

"He approaches her and 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 a homeless camp where he had been staying 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 and 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.