Maintenance worker hears cries, finds woman chained to bed in Fargo apartment
Police arrested the victim's ex-husband and another woman on kidnapping and assault charges after a two-year captivity in North Dakota.
By Nadia Rahman ·
Fargo police arrested two individuals Tuesday after a maintenance technician discovered a woman restrained to a bed inside an apartment complex. The technician heard the victim crying for help before entering the unit to investigate.
Court documents state that the woman, who does not speak English, had been held in the bedroom for approximately two years. A chain and padlock were secured around her right ankle, with the other end attached to the bed frame. A security camera was positioned to monitor her, and tin foil covered the bedroom windows.
The victim told investigators that her ex-husband, 40-year-old Arturo Calzada Becerril, brought her from Mexico to Fargo in 2024. She reported that she was not allowed to leave the apartment or use the bathroom. Instead, she was provided with a bucket for personal relief. Calzada Becerril brought her food twice daily.
Police freed the woman and used a language link service to interview her. Medics transported her to a hospital, where investigators noted bruising on her face and body. Shortly after her rescue, 41-year-old Erendira Amoles arrived at the apartment with her eight-year-old daughter.
During the hospital interview, the victim stated that both Calzada Becerril and Amoles had beaten her and sexually assaulted her. Calzada Becerril told investigators that the three shared a hometown in Mexico. He explained that he locked her up so she would not run away. Amoles told police that she was the one who often secured the woman in the room.
Cass County Jail has booked both suspects on charges of kidnapping and assault. Border Patrol assisted Fargo police with the investigation. The victims and suspects were identified in court filings released by authorities.
The two-year duration of the captivity aligns with the victim's arrival timeline in 2024. The maintenance worker's discovery ended the confinement, leading to the immediate arrests of the two adults who controlled the victim's access to the outside world.
