Woman in chains rescued after neighbor calls 911

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — A man is on the loose, accused of holding a woman for days in chains against her will.

Prosecutors say 28-year-old Maurice Nelson repeatedly raped her and locked her in his basement. A neighbor called 911 when he heard screaming.

It happened at a home on Norwaldo Avenue, near 46th Street and Keystone Avenue.

It’s a miracle that Brandon Owens heard the victim’s screams. According to a probable cause affidavit, when Nelson would leave he turned up the music, both in the basement and upstairs to drown out screaming. But, thankfully, the victim screamed anyway.

A tree is all that separates Owens’ home from his neighbor’s home. It turns out, that close distance could be what saved the woman’s life when Owens heard her screams from his home.

“I was hearing somebody saying, ‘Somebody, please help me. Help me. Help me. Please help me,’” he said.

Owens says the screams came during the day when Nelson was gone. After hearing it for a second day in a row, he called police. According to court documents, investigators found the victim naked, with chains and a padlock around her neck and shackled to the basement floor.

“When I saw her walk out, I was really surprised to see what I saw,” said Owens.

Prosecutors charged Nelson with nine counts, including three felony rape charges. The probable cause affidavit indicates that Nelson beat and raped her over the course of four or five days.

Jerry Cowhide has family who lives on Norwaldo Avenue. He is in shock over the allegations.

“Oh come on, man. That’s sickening. Come on now. Lord have mercy,” Cowhide said.

The woman started talking to Nelson over a telephone chat line, according to the court documents. They initially agreed to drinks and a movie, but both decided to go back to the Norwaldo Avenue home, where neighbor’s say Nelson lived.

At the home the victim told investigators they became sexual. But then, the document alleges, things took a twisted turn.

Nelson pulled out a radio, pretending to be communicating with police saying, “send the wagon, I got this (expletive).”

According to the probable cause affidavit, Nelson sprayed her with pepper spray, handcuffed her, beat her in the head with a baton and moved her to the basement.

Owens, who would speak to Nelson in passing, is shocked.

“I’m surprised really surprised that he really did that to her. He didn’t really seem the type of person that was off,” said Owens.

The court documents go on to say that Nelson raped the woman four to five times. He threatened they’d have babies but he’d kill the boys. Nelson also allegedly said she’d be there for years, threatened to cut off her leg, pull out her teeth and shoot her.

But despite all of that she survived, thanks in part to Owens.

Now, he has this message for the woman.

“I’m glad that you kept screaming. Because if I didn’t hear you scream, you probably would’ve been there for a longer time,” Owens said.

Police are on the hunt for Nelson. They’ve shared a mug shot of him from a previous incident. They say Nelson may have cut his hair and could look a little different.

Call Crime Stoppers at 317-262-TIPS (8477) if you know his whereabouts.