A Florida couple have been arrested after they met a man on social media, beat him, robbed him, cut his throat and tossed him off a bridge into the Escambia River.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office said the victim survived the ordeal and swam to shore, where he flagged down a deputy and told his story.
The sheriff’s office said the victim met the woman, Natalie Fonseca, 25, online on October 7 “and agreed to have dinner and hang out.”
According to an arrest report, the victim, Fonseca, and Fonseca’s “uncle,” 31-year-old Nafis Reynolds, went to a cookout together. After leaving the cookout, things got ugly, WKMG said.
Fonseca and Reynolds both hit the several times, telling him he was going to die, the sheriff’s office said. They took his shoes, phone, money, and car.
“They then took turns cutting his throat before throwing him over the bridge rail and into the Escambia River,” the sheriff’s office said. “They drove away in his stolen car. This car was discovered on West 98 after being set ablaze.”
Escambia County detectives soon identified the attackers and charged them with attempted murder, armed carjacking, armed robbery, and kidnapping.
WKMG said the victim spent several days in the hospital but is recovering.
Court records show that Fonseca was also slapped with drug charges and is being held on a $802,000 bond. Reynolds has a drug paraphernalia charge and an $801,000 bond.
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[Featured image: Natalie Fonseca and Nafis Reynolds/Escambia County Sheriff’s Office]
