SALT LAKE CITY — A man who was accused of kidnapping and torturing a woman made his first court appearance Friday morning.
Robert Daniel Ferry, who was also arrested in March on suspicion of murder, was arraigned on aggravated kidnapping and witness tampering charges in connection with the abduction and torture of a woman who allegedly owed him money.
Salt Lake City District Attorney Sim Gill says he is accused of taking part in the kidnapping and “brutally beating her and then throwing darts at her.”
Prosecutors claim that Ferry committed the crimes on the same day that he allegedly killed Annie Kasprzack and dumped her body in the Jordan River.
Ferry claims the allegations are false and he has been wrongfully incarcerated. Ferry and his attorney believe the fact that police haven’t filed charges in the murder case proves his innocence and they are eager to defend his case in court.
"I think he's frustrated that there's accusations and things printed in the paper and people from the police and the D.A. have said things,” said Joshua Baron, Ferry’s attorney. “He doesn't have any way to prove his innocence and so he's frustrated about that.”
Due to Ferry’s alleged connection with Kasprzack’s murder, Baron says his client has been placed under excessive restrictions at the Salt Lake County Jail.
The preliminary trial is set for June 19.
Meanwhile, charges in Annie Kasprzack’s murder have yet to be filed and there is still no word on when they will be.
