Terrell Jeremiah Osi Mashek, 30, faces aggravated kidnapping and assault charges after a woman he was dating told deputies he confined and assaulted her overnight in a shipping container, ABC4 Utah reported. The allegations have not been proven in court.
What the woman told deputies
According to ABC4’s account, the woman said Mashek took her phone and forced her into the container on October 3. She told deputies he struck and strangled her, causing her to lose consciousness, and threatened to kill her. She also said he placed two swords near her and spoke of having shovels to bury her body.
ABC4 reported that the woman said Mashek took her outside the following morning and returned her phone. She hid and called 911. Deputies documented a broken nose, bruising, abrasions, a cut on her nose, blood on her lower lip and petechiae in her eyes, according to the outlet.
Reported evidence and the defense claim
Detectives reportedly found blood droplets, broken headphones and two swords in the container. A witness told authorities they heard arguing, sounds of someone hitting the container and the woman crying overnight, ABC4 reported. The witness also noticed injuries on both people the next morning.
ABC4 reported that Mashek acknowledged pushing the woman and causing her to fall, but said he acted in self-defense because she had a sword. The outlet said he faces charges including aggravated kidnapping, aggravated robbery and robbery; aggravated and simple assault counts, including allegations of loss of consciousness and substantial bodily injury; and charges related to threats, dangerous-weapon conduct, controlled-substance possession and drug paraphernalia.
A separate state review process and support services
A Utah Department of Health Violence and Injury Prevention Program report describes the state’s Domestic Violence Fatality Review Committee as meeting monthly to review adult domestic-violence-related homicides. That review process is separate from this case and does not establish a trend or determine what happened here. The report describes the committee’s work.
For people seeking help, Utah DHHS lists the Utah Domestic Violence Coalition at 1-800-897-5465 among its statewide intimate-partner-violence resources. The state resource guide provides the number, and the Utah County Sheriff’s Office says its victim advocates can help with safety planning.
The charges against Mashek remain allegations. He is presumed innocent unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
