SALT LAKE CITY — Two more people have been charged in the kidnapping and torturing of a man in Salt Lake City in April, according to court documents.
Ernest Nakia Bright, 46, of Salt Lake City and Benjamin Lavard Battle, 55, of Salt Lake City, were both charged Friday in 3rd District Court with aggravated kidnapping and aggravated robbery, both first-degree felonies,
They join Patrick Shipley, 37, and Cano Fawson, 23, of Salt Lake City, as defendants in the April 16 incident.
On that day, the four men took a man to the All Star Motel, 754 W. North Temple, then took his clothes and his money before duct-taping his feet together, his mouth shut, and then hit, kicked and burned the man and shaved his head, according to charging documents.
Police were alerted to what was happening when the victim was able to escape and was found running naked along I-15. The man was “covered in blood and had scrapes, welts and burn marks on his upper body, back and arms,” the charges state.
The man refused to identify his alleged attackers, however, telling police “they will find me,” according to charging documents.
Police searched the motel room and recovered a “micro torch, a hatchet, a sword, duct tape and hair,” the charges state.