Five Texas Residents Charged After Allegedly Holding Woman Captive for Months, Shooting Her with BB Gun as Punishment
AUSTIN, TEXAS — Five people from South Austin are behind bars after police say they kept a woman handcuffed and confined outdoors for months, shooting her with a BB gun when she “got in trouble.”
According to Austin Police Department officials, officers responded to a welfare call on October 30 after a 911 caller reported hearing a woman screaming for help near a home on Bitter Creek Drive. When officers arrived, they found the victim half-naked and chained to a piece of exercise equipment in the yard.
Authorities said they had to cut through “heavy metal links” to free her. The woman, who had visible injuries and scars, told officers she had been held there for several months and was not allowed to leave.
“The woman showed signs of physical distress and had visible injuries consistent with prolonged restraint,” police confirmed.
The Arrests and Shocking Discovery
Five suspects were arrested at the scene and later identified as:
- Michelle Garcia, 51
- Crystal Garcia, 21
- Mache Carney, 32
- Juan Pablo Castro, 30
- Maynard Lefevers, 21
Each faces charges of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault, injury to a disabled person, and unlawful restraint.
While police secured the scene, several adults exited the house, and three young children were found inside, later placed in the care of Child Protective Services.
Victim’s Months of Abuse
According to a probable cause affidavit obtained by the Austin American-Statesman, the woman was found naked from the waist down, her body covered in open wounds, bruises, and scars. Medical staff determined many of the injuries were consistent with repeated BB gun shootings over time.
X-rays revealed a BB pellet lodged in her right eye, and another was found embedded in her clothing.
The woman told investigators she had been friends with one of the residents, visiting often — until “one day they decided they didn’t like her anymore and no longer allowed her to leave.”
The victim said she was fed only once a day, forced to sleep outside, and often handcuffed with her wrists behind her back.
A Family of Abusers
During questioning, the suspects allegedly gave conflicting reasons for restraining her.
Michelle Garcia claimed she chained the woman to prevent her from using the bathroom in the yard where neighbors could see. Another suspect, Mache Carney, said it was to stop her from stealing.
However, Juan Pablo Castro, Carney’s husband, reportedly told investigators he bought the BB gun “to shoot her” because he didn’t want to touch her. He allegedly admitted to chasing her around the yard after work, saying, “I [expletive] hate her.”
A 4-year-old child corroborated the story, telling police he saw his father shoot the woman when she was “bad,” while his mother watched.
“She Got in Trouble” — The Final Punishment
The affidavit states that on October 29, the woman said she “got in trouble” after her pants fell down. In response, multiple suspects shot her with the BB gun repeatedly and left her handcuffed outside overnight, despite temperatures dropping into the 40s.
The victim told police she cried and begged to be released but was threatened with more violence if she spoke.
Ongoing Investigation and Charges
All five suspects remain held at the Travis County Jail on $305,000 bond each. The woman remains under medical supervision and is recovering from her injuries.
Austin police described the case as “one of the most disturbing instances of long-term abuse and confinement” seen in recent years.
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