An El Paso County judge bound over the charges of a woman facing kidnapping-related allegations on Tuesday, stating she was unmoved by claims that the defendant was less involved than others in the gruesome series of events.
Linda Guest, 35, is one of several individuals facing charges after the group allegedly kidnapped and assaulted a couple at a Colorado Springs apartment complex for reporting one of the defendant’s boyfriend, Shemor Mitchell, to the police.
Mitchell has been identified by The Gazette as a suspect involved in the alleged attempted murder of a 22-year-old man at the “PopCycle” Bridge on Jan. 22.
Guest appeared in court Tuesday for her preliminary hearing, where Colorado Springs detective Ashton Lofgren detailed the extent of the kidnapping plot undertaken by Guest and others.
Lofgren — who was the only witness to testify at the preliminary hearing Tuesday — spent much of her testimony recapping the details of the kidnapping and assault described in the arrest affidavit previously reported on by The Gazette.
During her testimony Lofgren described that Guest and others held the two victims hostage inside her apartment for days while beating them with their fists, baseball bats, glass bottles and the handles of firearms.
One of the victims stated to police that she was “beaten like a piñata,” by the defendants, according to Lofgren.
Lofgren further testified that police were only informed about the kidnapping when Joseary Arizmendi, one of the other defendants, released the male victim to play a game of “manhunt.” Arizmendi allegedly told the victim he got an hour head start to try and escape, but if she caught him she would kill him, according to Lofgren’s testimony.
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After the male victim was able to get help, police recovered the female victim at the apartment complex, where both were being held hostage. When Guest was arrested, she initially denied involvement in the kidnapping, but eventually confessed to being involved — but stated she “did not have much of a say,” in the incident, according to Lofgren.
However, Guest also confessed to striking the female victim with her fists and a baseball bat, according to Lofgren.
During cross-examination Guest’s attorney, William Patrick, stated that Lofgren and the prosecution never submitted enough evidence during the hearing to have any of the charges other than second-degree assault bound over for trial.
Prosecutor Angelina Gratiano informed the court that she would be pursuing a complicity theory on all charges, and that Lofgren’s testimony presented enough evidence to have the charges bound over for trial.
Judge Jessica Curtis did not find Patrick’s argument a compelling one, opting to bind over all 17 charges against Guest for trial.
“It appears that (Guest) played a central role, as the assaults occurred in her apartment,” Curtis said.
“The court is unconcerned about who said what after the fact.”
Guest will return to court Sept. 9 for an arraignment hearing.
Guest, Arizmendi, Melissa Martinez, Joshua Pleasant and Kathy Arbuckle face 17 charges in connection to the incident including first-degree kidnapping, witness and victim intimidation, first-degree assault, robbery and several violent crime sentence enhancements.
Martinez additionally faces a second open assault case in El Paso County where she is charged with sexual assault and second-degree assault.
Arbuckle was the only other defendant to appear in court Tuesday morning. At her hearing, which took place prior to Guest’s, Judge Curtis granted a motion to have her bond reduced to $30,000.
All five defendants remain in custody at the El Paso County jail, according to court records.
Arizmendi, Arbuckle and Pleasant are scheduled to appear in court Monday for their preliminary hearings.
Martinez’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for Aug. 19.
Mitchell, Martinez’s boyfriend, faces two open felony cases in El Paso County — one for attempted murder and the other for sexual assault and first-degree assault — and is scheduled to appear next in court Aug. 26 for his preliminary hearing.
Mitchell remains in custody at the El Paso County jail on two bonds totaling $1.5 million.
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