New Mexico man accused of using home as a torture chamber
ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) – An Albuquerque man is behind bars, accused of using his South Valley home as a torture chamber.
Investigators say it seemed like a typical domestic violence call, but instead, Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Deputies happened upon a house of horrors. BCSO was called to the home near Goff and Arenal Saturday night. It looked ordinary from outside, but inside, deputies couldn’t believe what they found.
“Claw hammers being used to torture a subject, a tazer, bloody drag marks. It was a very organized crime scene,” said Capt. Andi Taylor of the Bernalillo County Sheriff’s Office.
A woman told dispatchers she was being held against her will by her boyfriend, Marcel Bland. Deputies thought they were responding to a routine domestic violence conflict but officials say Bland was acting strange.
“When you see someone pacing, when you see someone kinda come and rush and meet you at the door, we often think, well, what don’t you want us to see inside the house,” said Capt. Taylor.
Sure enough deputies found a bloodied victim passed out on a couch and tools of torture nearby, including a tazer, claw hammer and scissors, all lined up on a counter.
Taylor said, “It’s very chilling.”
Bland’s girlfriend told investigators Bland and others had tortured the victim there for more than a day. Deputies even found a video camera set up to record it all in the garage and a lot of blood.
“They couldn’t believe their eyes, the blood spatter and splatter all over,” said Taylor.
Sights that even shook investigators.
“I think this is one of those cases that will truly stick with these deputies.”
According to a criminal complaint, Bland told deputies the victim stole from him, but in court Sunday morning he had little to say. His accused crimes and lengthy criminal past, however, spoke volumes to court officials.
“We are concerned for the safety of the community, as well as the alleged victims,” said a court background official.
Taylor said, “My thoughts are that we have a very violent offender off the streets of Albuquerque tonight.”
BCSO says their investigation is far from over because there may be other victims out there. They say Bland’s girlfriend told them it was “routine” for him and others to bring victims to the home to be tortured.
Bland is a repeat felon with a record in multiple states. He was arrested for aggravated battery and false imprisonment. Sunday morning in court he was given a $100,000 cash only bond.
