Woman Chained in Shed, Buried Her Alive for 2 Days in Real-Life Horror Story

A horrifying case out of Arizona is grabbing national attention after a woman accused her boyfriend of holding her captive in a backyard shed for two weeks—where she says she was tortured, sexually assaulted, and even buried alive.

According to police in Maricopa County, 36-year-old Timothy James Wood was arrested on July 2 and is facing multiple charges including sexual assault and aggravated assault. Court documents and prosecutors allege Wood subjected the woman to a campaign of terror that included chaining her up, threatening to cut off her foot, and physically restraining her by the neck.

But one of the most disturbing accusations came during his first court appearance, where a prosecutor revealed that Wood allegedly dug a hole under the shed and buried the woman alive for two days.

“This victim, very well for 14 days, may have been worried that she may not survive this incident,” the prosecutor told the judge.

The woman, who was reportedly homeless when she began staying with Wood, told police she endured the abuse initially because she had nowhere else to go. When she was occasionally brought into the main house, she said Wood made her put on makeup to hide her injuries.

At one point, prosecutors say Wood tied her down, brandished a saw, and began cutting into her foot while threatening to amputate it.

Wood denied the accusations in court, claiming the woman “just got out of the loony bin” and referencing what he described as her mental health “episodes.”

Wood remains in custody at Lower Buckeye Jail and is due back in court on July 11. He has not yet entered a plea or been assigned a public defender.