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Missionaries escape after held captive, beaten in New Mexico

Posted at 7:25 AM, Feb 23, 2015
and last updated 2015-02-23 12:07:23-05

ALBUQUERQUE, NM - Last week two missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints found themselves in a terrifying situation in New Mexico, taken hostage and held against their will for hours.

Court documents state Zuniga Delgado and Michael Whitaker were invited into Erwin Smith's apartment, where things took a dangerous turn. New Mexico missionary captor

Police said Smith held them hostage and began to "physically batter them by punching, kicking and elbowing them."

At one point, investigators said Erwin got a knife and began making stabbing motions towards the back of their heads, saying "I'm going to kill you guys and hide your bodies in the bathtub.”

The incident happened over three hours until Whitaker and Delgado made a break for the door and escaped.

They then flagged down a police officer who then took Smith into custody.

Smith is now facing charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.