CBS12 News Team

Suspects held in crime spree that included kidnap, rape of Jupiter woman

PHOTO: Jupiter Police report Benjamin Lee Goldwire Jr., 19 (right); and Carlton Eugene Thomas Jr., 21, have been arrested in the armed carjacking, kidnapping and rape of a Jupiter woman.
(EDITOR'S NOTE: Archived coverage from March 8-9, 2012)
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Police have arrested two suspects in a Palm Beach County crime spree that included the abduction and armed sexual battery of a Jupiter woman.
They were arrested at a Port St. Lucie Best Western hotel in a cooperative effort by police from Jupiter, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, Lantana and Palm Springs, as well as the United States Marshals Service.
Jupiter Police report Benjamin Lee Goldwire Jr., 19; and Carlton Eugene Thomas Jr., 21, have been arrested in the armed carjacking, kidnapping and rape of a Jupiter woman. Police report they had an AK-47 in their possession when they were arrested without incident.
"In this case in less than 48 hours, we identified not only one suspect, but two and arrested both of them and taken into custody without incident," said Chief Frank Kitzerow, Jupiter Police Department.
Police have been searching for the two suspects since Wednesday night after they say Goldwire and Thomas abducted a woman from the Wood Duck apartment complex in Jupiter about 8:30, then drove her to a home on West 3rd Street in Riviera Beach where they tied her up with duct tape and raped her.
The woman had been visiting friends at the apartment complex when the masked men abducted her. The two friends, who did not want to be identified, spoke to the victim earlier Friday.
"They put a hand over her mouth, a gun to her head and they took her to her car. She tried to scream for me. I was asleep. My window is right there where it happened. How could I have not heard it?" the victim's friend told CBS 12.
After the suspects sexually assaulted the woman in the Riviera Beach house, they left for their 5-city crime spree. According to the probable cause affidavit, while the suspects were gone, the victim freed herself of the duct tape and climbed out a rear window. She fled the house and knocked on several neighbors' doors asking for help. When no one answered, she found a police officer who was conducting a traffic stop and told him what happened. She was then transported to the hospital.
Officials made the announcement Friday afternoon, less than an hour after the arrests. Investigators say they first identified the duo Thurdsday morning after they were seen breaking into a house on 1st Street. A neighbor who witnessed the burglary called police.
"One of officers noticed the car back at the house of original sexual battery. The citizen that called in gave us their names," said Assistant Chief Dave Harris, Riviera Beach Police Department.
Both have numerous arrests on weapons and drug charges. Goldwire is charged with armed car jacking, kidnapping, and armed sexual battery. Thomas is charged with grand theft auto. They list home addresses in Riviera Beach, according to the affidavit.
Police suspect them of robbing an IHOP, Denny's and stealing a car from a Walgreen's, all within a few short hours mid-week.
----
Tale of Terror: Crime spree, rape suspects arrested in Port St. Lucie
WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. -- Police have arrested two suspects in a Palm Beach County crime spree that included the abduction and armed sexual battery of a Jupiter woman.
They were arrested at a Port St. Lucie Best Western hotel in a cooperative effort by police from Jupiter, Riviera Beach, West Palm Beach, Lantana and Palm Springs, as well as the United States Marshals Service.
Jupiter Police report Benjamin Lee Goldwire Jr., 19; and Carlton Eugene Thomas Jr., 21, have been arrested in the armed carjacking, kidnapping and rape of a Jupiter woman. Police report they had an AK-47 in their possession when they were arrested without incident.
"In this case in less than 48 hours, we identified not only one suspect, but two and arrested both of them and taken into custody without incident," said Chief Frank Kitzerow, Jupiter Police Department.
Police have been searching for the two suspects since Wednesday night after they say Goldwire and Thomas abducted a woman from the Wood Duck apartment complex in Jupiter about 8:30, then drove her to a home on West 3rd Street in Riviera Beach where they tied her up with duct tape and raped her.
The woman had been visiting friends at the apartment complex when the masked men abducted her. The two friends, who did not want to be identified, spoke to the victim earlier Friday.
"They put a hand over her mouth, a gun to her head and they took her to her car. She tried to scream for me. I was asleep. My window is right there where it happened. How could I have not heard it?" the victim's friend told CBS 12.
After the suspects sexually assaulted the woman in the Riviera Beach house, they left for their 5-city crime spree. According to the probable cause affidavit, while the suspects were gone, the victim freed herself of the duct tape and climbed out a rear window. She fled the house and knocked on several neighbors' doors asking for help. When no one answered, she found a police officer who was conducting a traffic stop and told him what happened. She was then transported to the hospital.
Officials made the announcement Friday afternoon, less than an hour after the arrests. Investigators say they first identified the duo Thurdsday morning after they were seen breaking into a house on 1st Street. A neighbor who witnessed the burglary called police.
"One of officers noticed the car back at the house of original sexual battery. The citizen that called in gave us their names," said Assistant Chief Dave Harris, Riviera Beach Police Department.
Both have numerous arrests on weapons and drug charges. Goldwire is charged with armed car jacking, kidnapping, and armed sexual battery. Thomas is charged with grand theft auto. They list home addresses in Riviera Beach, according to the affidavit.
Police suspect them of robbing an IHOP, Denny's and stealing a car from a Walgreen's, all within a few short hours mid-week.

Tuesday, May 1 2012, 02:34 PM EDT

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