A Weld County judge has sentenced Tory Hammond to 96 years to life in prison after a jury found he brutally kept a woman captive and sexually and physically assaulted her inside the semi-truck trailer where they were living in 2021. Authorities say the woman ultimately bolted from the trailer and onto a Weld County road, still chained, before bystanders stepped in. Sentencing took place on Thursday in Weld County District Court.
According to a press release from the Weld County Sheriff's Office, deputies report that Hammond wrapped a tow chain around the victim's neck and wrists, fastened the chain to a table, threatened her with a firearm, and assaulted her sexually and physically over several hours. The sheriff's office says the woman eventually managed to break free and ran onto Weld County Road 6 while still shackled in chains. Passing drivers stopped to help and called 9-1-1, and deputies then tracked the semi-trailer to an industrial lot near Highway 85 and Weld County Road 6, where they arrested Hammond outside the trailer.
Court records and sentencing
Court dockets from the Colorado Judicial Branch list case number 2021CR2118 for Tory Hammond and show a sentencing hearing in Weld County on Thursday. The Weld County Sheriff's Office reports that the judge imposed a 96-year-to-life prison term following the jury's guilty verdict. The court docket entry confirms the case moved into the sentencing phase this week.
Scene, arrest and witness reports
The sheriff's office release states that deputies were dispatched after a passerby reported seeing an adult woman on Weld County Road 6 with no clothing and chains around her neck and arms. Good Samaritans stopped, offered aid, and called 9-1-1. Deputies then went to the nearby industrial lot where the semi-trailer was parked, found Hammond in a vehicle outside the trailer, and took him into custody. Prosecutors later brought the case to trial, and a jury convicted Hammond of physically and sexually assaulting the victim and restraining and holding her captive.
What comes next
The 96-year-to-life sentence effectively means Hammond is expected to spend the rest of his life in prison unless an appeal changes the outcome. Court dockets and the Weld County Sheriff's Office release remain the main public records outlining the investigation, charges, and result of the case. Anyone with additional information about the 2021 incident is asked to contact local law enforcement, and victims seeking support can reach out to regional victim-services organizations or national hotlines for assistance.
