(above: Roger Heuberger. CLICK HERE for video)
Spokane Police are investigating a vicious unlawful imprisonment and rape case that took place over the last few days of March.
Three people have been arrested: Roger Heuberger, Vladislav Kononov, and Ashley Wideman.
Police say it all started March 28th, when the suspects picked up a woman from her mother's home. They drove her to Liberty Motel on Division Street in north Spokane. According to court documents, the four of them "partied that night."
Court documents say that the following day Heuberger and Kononov "stated there was club business that needed to be handled." The victim says the two of them are affiliated with the Hell's Angels Motorcycle Club. The victim and Wideman were dropped off at the north Spokane Walmart. They were picked up a few hours later.
Ashley and Kononov then left together for Coeur d'Alene to "pick up a check", leaving the victim alone with Heuberger. Court documents say Heuberger made the victim undress, to check her for a wire. He then allowed her to get her clothes back on, but tied her to a chair with rubber cords. He also injected her with heroin, at the victim's request.
While that was happening, she says Heuberger bragged that "I kill people and I get paid for it" and that he was very good at his job. He then began playing a DVD on his computer that showed the killing of women and children. She described the murderer in the video looking similar to Roger, and taking the victims into the woods and then murdering them.
A short time later, according to court documents, Heuberger raped the victim, then left the motel room to smoke a cigarette. The victim said she considered running at that time, but felt that if she was caught she would be punished.
Court documents say Heuberger came back into the room, cut her with a razor blade, then shot her up again with heroin, and "made her snort a long line of Methamphetamine."
On March 30th, the victim says she eventually convinced Heuberger to take her across the street to Carl's Jr., but they did not get any food because Heuberger got into an argument with an employee about taxes. According to the court documents, they eventually walked to a nearby Taco Bell, where the victim locked herself in a bathroom. When the Taco Bell employees got ready to close up for the night, and the victim refused to come out of the bathroom, they called police. Officers arrived and took the victim to an apartment on Colton Street.
On April 1, officers met with the victim at an area hospital where she described what had happened to her over the previous few days. Officers arrived to the Liberty Motel and found Heuberger, Kononov, and Wideman inside a motel room. Officers searched the room and found blood, as well as bindles (little baggies) of meth, and a laptop computer. Court documents say the laptop may contain the video "described by the victim of real life murders used to intimidate and control her."
Inside a car, that was registered to Kononov, they found a black handgun, drugs, syringes, and rubber cords.
Heuberger remains in the Spokane County Jail on a $25,000 bond. He is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver, Unlawful Imprisonment, and Rape. Heuberger is set to be arraigned on April 10th.
Ashley Wideman is in the Spokane County Jail on a $20,000 bond and is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver. Wideman is set to be arraigned on April 10.
Vladislav Kononov was released on bond from the Spokane County Jail but is charged with Possession of a Controlled Substance with Intent to Deliver and is set for arraignment on April 10.
Spokane Police pointed specifically to this case during a kickoff for the "Start by Believing" campaign. The campaign is meant to empower victims to come forward with their stories of abuse, so they can find and arrest the perpetrators. Police say all too often, a victim is met with skepticism instead of support.
Officers say in this case, some people did not believe the victim's story, but detectives did. And when they investigated, they found that as unbelievable as it was, they believe it really happened.
(story: Luke Thoburn, KHQ News Producer; photo & video: KHQ.com)