A woman was found chained in a basement in New York, and police say a beloved and skillful bloodhound led them to her.
NBC News reports that 25-year-old Michael Ciskiewic has been arrested and charged with assault, burglary, rape, kidnapping, and menacing with a weapon, in connection with a woman allegedly found chained inside his Niagra Falls basement with a padlock around her ankle.
According to police, the woman knew the suspect as a neighbor who occasionally mowed her lawn for cash. On Sunday night, he reportedly knocked on her door and when she answered, he attacked her immediately. The victim told police she fought back but the suspect overpowered her.
“She fought back. She made it point to let us know how much she fought back…The broken glass from her door, she wanted to make that I knew it was from his head,” Niagara Falls chief of detectives, Kelly Rizzo, said during a press conference.
Police arrived to the home after a neighbor witnessed the assault, according to the Niagara Gazette. Although they found evidence of an attack, including blood and a broken window, authorities couldn’t find the victim anywhere in her home. They followed a blood splash in an alley but still couldn’t locate her.
Police eventually brought in a 2-year-old bloodhound named Flash, trained to find people by the scent, which led them to Ciskiewic’s residence at 3040 Monroe Avenue. According to the outlet, Flash is “certified through the American Mantrailing, Police and Work Dog Association.”
The scene is clear on Monroe. What was believed to be a stand-off is turning into a manhunt. Police are looking for 25-year-old Michael J. Ciskiewic. He’s connected to a situation where a woman was found chained in this basement. https://t.co/7rSEt0Rql2 pic.twitter.com/XkE4pAGnDf
— Jeff Slawson (@Jeffslawson) June 10, 2019
Police called the suspect’s phone, however, he apparently didn’t cooperate, leading to a 12-hour standoff. Authorities initially thought Ciskiewic was talking to them while inside his home, but later determined he was at another location after they tear-gassed the residence and entered the residence. They heard the victim screaming and eventually found her in the basement.
The U.S. Marshals Service ultimately detained the suspect at a nearby industrial area, according to ABC 7.
The victim, who was kept captive for around 13 hours, has been taken to the hospital. She’s in stable condition and expected to make a full recovery.
Michael Ciskiewic Press Conference
Niagara Falls Police talk about the arrest of Michael Ciskiewic.
Posted by 7 Eyewitness News WKBW on Monday, June 10, 2019
Check back with CrimeOnline as additional details become available.
[Feature Photo: Michael Ciskiewic/Police Handout]
