Trucker in Court

By Debbie Williams Reporter

Charged with kidnapping, a Missouri truck driver says it was more like a date than an abduction. Trucker in Court

Published: Thu, January 03, 2008 - 4:31 pm

Debbie Williams

New information about a truck driver charged with kidnapping a woman and holding her prisoner in the the cab of his big rig.
Roy Stillwell was arrested last month after the woman was found tied up and screaming for help at a Loxley truck stop. In court, Stillwell says the woman wasn't a prisoner, she was there by choice.
Roy Stillwell's attorney says there never was a kidnapping. "This is a voluntary arrangement that the two had made she was not a prisoner she was there by her own decision," says attorney Jim Sweet.
But prosecutors are painting a much more gruesome picture. During a preliminary hearing, investigators testified Stillwell abducted the woman December 8th in Montgomery, choked her unconscious, cut her clothes off, tied her up, raped and sodomized her almost a dozen times over four days.
"It was a consensual agreement. She got in that truck voluntarily the officer did admit that he believes she was engaged in prostitution up in Montgomery and that's how this whole thing started," says Sweet.
"She is obviously, justifiably fearful for her safety." Assistant District Attorney Hallie Dixon says the way she was tied up is significant. "The fact that her ankles her hands were bound tied in the truck by her neck those things were very indicative of corroborating what she said had happened during three or four day period." Sweet disagrees, "The allegations about the bondage well, some people find that enjoyable."
For four days, Stillwell drove from state to state with the woman tied up in the back of his truck. As they approached Alabama, investigator's say the woman began to fear for her life because of something Stillwell said, according to Dixon, "It was referring to driving near water and there was a reason they were driving near water which would be upcoming past Loxley."
For now, Roy Stillwell remains in the Baldwin County Jail on two million dollars bond. He also faces federal kidnapping charges. The case now goes to a grand jury. More charges could be coming. Federal investigators are looking into any similar cases around the country that might be linked to Stillwell.