Robin Deaton, 52, was arrested in Monroe, North Carolina, on February 26 after being charged with attempted murder and kidnapping following an incident where her boyfriend, Gary Oxendine, 51, was allegedly locked inside a storage unit for several days without food or water.
However, Oxendine is now speaking out, calling the charges “bogus” and claiming the situation was a misunderstanding.
According to the Monroe Police Department, Oxendine had been locked inside the Cooper Storage facility since February 20.
In a 911 call obtained, Oxendine can be heard explaining that he had been trapped in the unit for nearly a week, claiming he was locked in by Deaton, who allegedly left him there without provisions.
When police arrived, they found the unit to be chaotic, describing it as a “hoarder’s paradise,” with items falling out as they opened the door.
Oxendine told officers that Deaton had locked him inside after he crawled into the unit to retrieve something for her, allegedly saying, “This is what you get.”
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However, Oxendine has since recanted his initial statements, telling local media outlet WSOC that the charges are a mistake.
He explained that he had fallen asleep in the storage unit, and Deaton, unaware that he was still inside, locked him in. According to Oxendine, Deaton had left to get food and thought he had left with an ex-girlfriend.
Oxendine admitted that he had been working for several days, leading to him falling into a deep sleep. He maintains that it was simply an unfortunate misunderstanding and that Deaton did not intend to harm him.
Despite his statements, Monroe Police have confirmed that the investigation continues, with detectives supporting the charges based on corroborating evidence. The case has now been handed over to the District Attorney’s Office.
This unusual case, which involved a hoarder’s storage unit and a strange chain of events, has left many puzzled, with authorities reiterating that domestic violence victims sometimes retract their initial testimonies.
