Two men, including one from Washougal, have been arrested on charges including kidnapping, assault and robbery.
According to a press release from the Skamania County Sheriff’s Office, Markus L. Bedell, 25 of Washougal, and Charles W. Sample, 32 of Vancouver, were arrested for allegedly kidnapping at gunpoint Vancouver resident Robert Downey, 27, against his will and transporting him to the upper Washougal River area off North Fork Road on Thursday, Aug. 15.
They stripped him of his clothing, tied him to a tree, physically assaulted and them robbed him. Downey was left there by Bedell and Sample overnight. He was able to work himself free and make his way to North Fork Road where a passing motorist picked him up the morning of Friday, Aug. 16.
The investigation led officers to Bedell’s residence on Huckins-Buhman Road in rural Skamania County, where he was arrested on Aug. 16.
On Aug. 20, with the assistance of the Vancouver Police Department, officers arrested Sample at a government office building in Vancouver.
Both men are being held in the Skamania County Jail in Stevenson on suspicion of first degree assault, kidnapping and robbery.
Undersheriff Dave Cox said Monday that he did not have any additional information to release about the case.
According to Cox, detectives are still investigating and there could be additional arrests.
