A North Carolina man is behind bars after allegedly holding a woman captive for nearly five months in a series of filthy campers where police say he raped, chained, and terrorized her.
Winston Eccleston, 26, is facing a slew of serious charges including forcible rape, kidnapping, and multiple firearms violations, according to court records from Buncombe and Haywood counties.
The woman was last seen in January after accepting a ride from a man she met while walking in Asheville. That ride, authorities say, turned into a living nightmare.
By late May, the woman managed to contact law enforcement—and what she told them shocked even seasoned investigators. According to a search warrant, she described being restrained by chains inside a camper, locked in both wooden and metal boxes, and repeatedly assaulted and threatened by Eccleston.
The horror unfolded at an RV park on Weeping Cherry Drive in Waynesville, about 30 miles west of Asheville. She said she was confined in two separate campers there, both crawling with neglected dogs kept in cages or wooden boxes, covered in fleas and feces.
When officers executed a search warrant, they found five malnourished dogs, multiple weapons, and tactical gear scattered across what they described as a filthy and chaotic scene.
One camper was filled with trash and animal waste. A wooden box had been screwed shut with several dogs trapped inside. Firearms were mounted on the wall above the bed—among them, an AR-15 style rifle, a pistol with its serial numbers filed off hidden in a tactical vest, and a .22 caliber handgun. Near the guns, detectives found black handcuffs with tape on the chain and a door with several exterior locks. Inside, surveillance cameras pointed into the room.
In a chilling inventory, police described ropes, locks, more handcuffs, zip ties, gloves, a face mask, and even a whip—along with a carpet-lined toolbox that reeked of human waste. Inside the toolbox were blankets, socks, and a chain.
All of it, police say, corroborates the woman’s detailed account of prolonged captivity.
Yet despite the hellish conditions, there were disturbing glimpses of normalcy. At times, Eccleston allegedly took the woman out in public—even introducing her to his father. She recalled visiting the elder Eccleston’s home, cooking meals, and showering there. On one occasion, they reportedly went to Applebee’s together.
In a recorded interview, the woman claimed Eccleston once hid her inside a trash can on the back of a work buggy while moving locations. She said his father even helped—allegedly warning his son about nearby law enforcement: “Hold up and wait, there’s law out here.”
Search warrants also include an alleged jailhouse email exchange between Winston and his father. The son reportedly asked, “Do you still at least have the photo of her free,” to which the elder Eccleston allegedly replied, “Yes, do. I’m also requesting my phone records to find out the exact date when we went to Applebee’s.”
Law enforcement searched multiple properties linked to Stephen Eccleston in late June, but as of now, he has not been charged with any crime.
Despite brief public outings, investigators say Winston Eccleston kept the woman under constant threat of violence.
He was arrested in late May and indicted earlier this month. He remains held without bond in the Haywood County Detention Center. His next court date is scheduled for September 15.
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Author: thedailycrime1
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