Badly beaten man forced to live in dog cage is rescued in raid, West Virginia cops say

A West Virginia man was brutally beaten and forced to live in a dog cage, until an anonymous tip led police to his rescue.

According to Beckley police, a “concerned citizen” came into the department on Saturday and told them a man was being held against his will at a home in the town. He was being kept in a cage and appeared to have been beaten severely, the tipster said.

Roughly three hours later, Beckley police went to the address, along with a Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team.

Authorities raided the house and found the victim, who was “observed to be badly injured, suffering from multiple lacerations, contusions, and a significant injury to an upper extremity,” Beckley police said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police arrested 32-year-old Joshua Aaron Lafferty on charges of kidnapping, malicious wounding, and conspiracy to commit a felony. Lafferty has been jailed without bond.

Police said the kidnapping was drug-related.

According to court documents, two other men were in the home with Lafferty, and can be heard taunting the victim in a video shared with police, WVNS reported.

Later at the hospital, the victim told authorities Lafferty was demanding money from him, and at one point beat him with a shovel.

Police are searching for the other two men, the station reported.

More charges are expected to be brought as the investigation continues, police said.

This story was originally published May 24, 2021 at 4:56 PM with the headline "Badly beaten man forced to live in dog cage is rescued in raid, West Virginia cops say."