Police: Local man arrested after woman kidnapped and viciously tortured with pliers for over 18 hours

EDITOR’S NOTE: The following story contains graphic descriptions of physical and sexual abuse. Reader discretion is advised.

POCATELLO — A Pocatello man was arrested and charged with a litany of felonies after he allegedly kidnapped and physically and sexually tortured a woman for over 18 hours.

Casey Lee Wilkins, 51, is charged with felonies for first-degree kidnapping, forcible penetration by use of a foreign object, assault with intent to commit a serious felony, attempted strangulation, aggravated battery, aggravated sexual battery, first-degree stalking and intimidating a witness, along with a misdemeanor for intentional destruction of a telecommunication line.

Wilkins is being represented by a public defender. The Idaho State Public Defender’s Office does not comment on active cases.

According to court documents, on Nov. 4 and Nov. 5, Pocatello Police Department officers met with a woman who reportedly had several injuries and reported that she had been kidnapped and assaulted.

Officers say the woman was in a relationship with a man identified as Wilkins for three years. The relationship had recently ended, and she had been granted a protection order due to him “becoming more violent, and it was escalating.” But it hadn’t been served yet.

According to the victim, since their breakup, Wilkins had been sending her threatening text messages, allegedly claiming that he was “going to kidnap her, take her to the water tower, rape her and bury her there.”

The victim says Wilkins showed up to her work multiple times, where he “yelled at her and grabbed her.”

On Nov. 3, the victim agreed to meet with Wilkins at Office Max in Pocatello to “talk about things.” They met, and reportedly drove away together in his truck.

The victim told police that Wilkins took her phone from her and began driving toward a water tower. When they reached the water tower, Wilkins reportedly forced the victim out of the truck and told her to “look at the water tower, since that would be her new home,” and told her that he was going to put her inside of it.

They then got back in the car, and the victim noticed that her phone was connected to the truck, so she tried to use Siri to call 911, but Wilkins “took her phone and hung it up.”

They then began driving toward Wilkins’ home in Fort Hall, when they began talking about the no-contact order, and the victim stated that she “probably should not be there.”

This reportedly made Wilkins angry and, according to the victim, was when “things started to get physical.”

According to the victim, she struggles to remember all of the details “because of the abuse she was receiving” from Wilkins, but says they drove through the night as he would hit her, and “pull over and be more aggressive and get on top of her and hit her and try to strangle her.”

Wilkins reportedly kept the victim in his truck from 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 3 to 11:30 a.m. on Nov. 4. Wilkins reportedly stated he “would not take her home or let her go.”

According to officers, the victim had red marks on her neck, and her voice was “very hoarse,” causing her to have a hard time talking.

The victim stated that the abuse continued to increase in severity, including Wilkins allegedly using a drill with a sander attachment on her arms and hand. Officers say the victim had “different abrasions” on her arms.

During the kidnapping, Wilkins reportedly made several threats that he was going to kill the victim. She told police that she “thought she was going to die and she was tortured all night,” according to court documents.

At one point, the victim says Wilkins took off all of her clothes and sexually assaulted her. An evidence technician reportedly told officers that the victim had “lots of bruising all over (her) chest.” Wilkins also allegedly used a pair of pliers to hurt the victim during the sexual assault.

Wilkins reportedly then dragged the victim out of the truck while she was naked and locked her outside of the truck in the dark, before trying to run her over by backing in circles, and driving away for two hours before coming back and allegedly asking, “You didn’t think I was coming back for you, did you?”

The next morning, Wilkins eventually took the victim back to her car at Office Max, and told her that she “cannot report this and to say it was a four-wheeler accident.” He allegedly threatened that if she reported it, he would “blow her brains out.”

She then called 911 and reported the incident.

The victim then had a sexual assault examination done at Portneuf Medical Center, and officers began looking for Wilkins, who was later found at his home.

Wilkins was arrested and booked into the Bannock County Jail on a $2 million bond. He is expected to appear for a preliminary hearing on Nov. 16. If convicted, he could face up to life in prison.

Though Wilkins has been charged with these crimes, it does not necessarily mean he committed them. Everyone is presumed innocent until they are proven guilty.