A Montana man was arrested after he was accused of torturing his girlfriend at her parents’ house for several days before she was able to escape.
Jake Thomas Canestrini was charged with one count each of kidnapping, strangulation of a household member, interference with a peace officer and cruelty to animals and three counts each of aggravated assault and battery and domestic battery.
The incident began on May 30 when Canestrini, 24, held his girlfriend of around three years hostage and he continued to torture her for five days.
On May 30, the woman’s parents went out of town and left the couple alone at their house in Rock Springs. Soon after the victim’s parents left, Canestrini allegedly threw his girlfriend to the ground several times and prevented her from leaving the home, according to an affidavit obtained by Cowboy State Daily.
“Canestrini held her on the ground for several hours and continued to hit her on the head,” the affidavit stated.
The victim tried to run away several times, but Canestrini would allegedly stop her by yanking “her by the hair to keep her down.”
Canestrini allegedly called his girlfriend’s place of employment on June 2 and told them she would not be going to work that day.
The violence reportedly continued to grow worse as the days continued, and Canestrini made a series of menacing threats.
“I will f***ing murder you,” Canestrini allegedly told the victim as he held a knife to her throat, per the affidavit. “I will murder your cat. I will murder your f***ing family if you get the cops involved. I will wait 20 years so I can kill you.”
At one point, Canestrini allegedly used a razor blade to cut his girlfriend’s thighs, hips, stomach and arm. The victim also told police that he used a fork to stab her in the back and “butt cheek.”
The affidavit stated that Canestrini repeatedly strangled the woman, and she told police she feared for her life and couldn’t breathe.
The woman claimed to law enforcement that at one point, Canestrini said he “did not want to do this but because she was being a b**** to him, she deserved the punishment.”
After the woman escaped, a medical examiner’s report revealed that she suffered a concussion. Additionally, investigators noted that she was covered in bruises and had injuries to her face, arms, shoulders, legs and knees.
Canestrini also allegedly hurt the victim’s cat, with the victim claiming that he picked up the pet and was “squeezing the f*** out of him.”
Following the victim’s escape, Canestrini was arrested on June 16. He has since pleaded not guilty to all of the charges, according to Cowboy State Daily.
Canestrini’s trial is scheduled to begin on November 2.
