Phoenix Man Accused of Holding Girlfriend Captive in Backyard Shed, Facing Multiple Assault Charges

PHOENIX — A 36-year-old man is behind bars after police say he physically and sexually assaulted his girlfriend while holding her captive in a shed for at least two weeks.

Timothy James Wood was arrested July 2 after a woman called 911, telling dispatchers she had escaped from captivity in a shed behind a home near Phoenix. Officers responded to the scene and found the woman at a neighbor’s residence, where she said she had been assaulted and imprisoned by Wood.

According to court documents, the woman told investigators she had recently been evicted and had been staying in a shed behind Wood’s father’s home. She alleged that Wood beat her repeatedly, forced her to wear makeup to conceal facial injuries, and used an electrical cord to strike her. She also said he cut her foot with a wood saw and once buried her in a crawl space beneath the shed for two days.

Police noted the shed had visible signs of forced confinement, including chains, tow straps, and a mattress. The victim said Wood secured her inside by tying a tow strap around her ankle, chaining the shed’s double doors, and stacking bricks to block her escape. She eventually fled through an unsecured rear access door.

The woman sustained several visible injuries, including bite marks and facial bruising. Hospital staff later confirmed she had a broken rib and additional trauma consistent with her account. A forensic nurse supported her claims during an examination.

Wood denied the allegations, telling police, “She just got out of the loony bin... she has these episodes.” Despite his statements, officers cited physical evidence and medical evaluations as consistent with the woman’s claims.

Wood has been charged with kidnapping, unlawful imprisonment, sexual assault, criminal threat, assault, and three counts of aggravated assault.