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Citrus kidnapper charged with abusing girlfriend

Posted at 8:19 PM, Dec 18, 2015
and last updated 2015-12-18 23:17:39-05

Jeffrey Story was already in jail on charges of kidnapping an 8-year-old neighbor.

Citrus County deputies said he pulled her out of her bedroom window Tuesday night.

Read the young girl's full account of what her capture and escape

Thankfully the girl was able to escape.

Story’s arrest led investigators to talk to his girlfriend.

That’s when they found out about her terrifying ordeal over recent months.

“Basically the defendant (would) tie her up, hang her in the garage, bind her hands and feet, make her stay there for over an hour while he beat her,” said Captain Brad Smith.

The woman, who we are not identifying, has a 2-year-old child with Story.

She told deputies he would abuse her about twice every month, beating her naked body with PVC pipe and even slamming her face into a mirror.

“Very traumatic injuries... and she was deathly afraid to ever say anything to law enforcement because of what a tyrant he was,” said Smith.

Story now faces three counts of domestic aggravated battery in addition to the charges related to the kidnapping.

The mother of the suspect, Sherry Davis, said she did not know about the alleged abuse against her son's girlfriend. Davis said his girlfriend opened up to them last night.

"How can you say you love someone and do this to them is totally sick, and especially to the mother of your child," Davis said.

Davis said she is angry at her son about both crimes.

"It's excruciating to know that your son that you raised can do this that's probably the hardest thing for me right now is hearing this and knowing what was going on now," Davis said.

The alleged abuse has law enforcement even more thankful that the 8-year-old victim got away when she did.

“You start thinking about what his intentions were when he took this child, placing the tape of her mouth, putting her in the same area where he hung his girlfriend in the garage,” said Smith.

Story’s mother had told us her son’s been getting into trouble since he was 8, and they’ve tried to get him help, even putting him in mental institutions.

Story told deputies if he really wanted to hurt the little girl, he could have hung her up in the garage just like he did to his girlfriend.

"He could make you believe he was a perfect angel until he didn't get his way," Davis said.

Davis said she will do everything she can to protect Story's son and his girlfriend.

"My whole goal right now is to make sure that them two are safe," Davis said.

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