A woman found half-naked by law enforcement was allegedly tortured and chained for months in a Texas garden by five of her former "friends" who no longer liked her.

A truly horrific ordeal. A half-naked woman, whose age and identity have not been revealed, was allegedly tortured and chained for months in the garden of a house in Texas. Five people have been arrested for starving her and shooting her with air pistols, reports the New York Post.

On October 30th, Austin police responded to a 911 call at a home in the south of the city. The call reported a woman handcuffed in a backyard, screaming for help. Upon arrival, officers found the victim severely injured, without pants or underwear, and chained to a metal punching bag stand.

"They decided they no longer loved him."

The first people to witness the scene quickly tried to free the victim, but "due to the strength of the bonds holding her," they had to call in the local fire department, which had special equipment for cutting metal. "She showed signs of physical distress and visible injuries consistent with prolonged restraint," police said.

While firefighters worked to free the victim, five adults in the house attempted to flee but were immediately apprehended and taken into custody. Police also found two young children living in the house, who were subsequently placed in the care of child protective services.

The suspects—Michelle Garcia, 51, Crystal Garcia, 21, Mache Carney, 32, Juan Pablo Castro, 30, and Maynard Lefevers, 21—allegedly held the victim captive for months, law enforcement officials report. The victim told investigators she was friends with Michelle Garcia, but that “at some point, they [the group] decided they didn’t like her anymore.” The five suspects then allegedly decided to hold her captive, according to a sworn affidavit obtained by the Austin American-Statesman.

One meal a day

The young woman claimed she was forced to live outdoors for weeks and beaten every time she tried to escape. The exact date and duration of her captivity are unknown. Investigators indicated that the victim received only one plate of food per day and was chained to a metal frame used for weightlifting exercises, sometimes with both wrists tied behind her back. One of her captors, Michelle Garcia, reportedly told investigators that she limited the number of meals to one per day because she thought the woman was "a little chubby."

Investigators found that the woman appeared to be suffering from severe malnutrition. Among other abuses noted, the victim was also shot with an air pistol, handcuffed to a watchtower in a garden, and left there half-naked all night as "punishment" because her pants had slipped down, while temperatures had dropped below 4 degrees Celsius, the affidavit reveals.

Numerous injuries were found on the victim's body, including open wounds, significant swelling of the wrists, necrosis of the hands and feet, numerous scars from pellets fired from an air rifle, and severe facial trauma. After her transfer to the local hospital, doctors concluded that her injuries were the result of weeks of torture and confinement. Examinations also revealed a pellet lodged in her right eye.

Juan Pablo Castro, one of the five torturers, reportedly told police he shot the woman with an electric air rifle because he "didn't want to touch her." He also allegedly admitted that upon returning home from work, he would grab the weapon and chase her around the garden, stating that he deeply hated her, according to the affidavit. One of the children found at the home—a 4-year-old boy identified as Juan Pablo Castro's son—said his father shot the woman whenever she misbehaved, and that his mother, Mache Carney, usually stood by and watched.

The five suspects were arrested and charged with aggravated kidnapping, violence, and false imprisonment. They are currently being held in the Travis County Jail, with bail set at $305,000. Mache Carney and Michelle Garcia are scheduled to appear in court again on November 18 and 21, while Crystal Garcia, Juan Pablo Castro, and Maynard Lefevers are due to appear on December 15, 2025.