Editor’s Note: Thanks to LDS Living for pointing this amazing story out to us.
This story was originally reported by KOAT 7 in Albuquerque. News Reporter Matt Howerton talked with Elder Zuniga Delgado and Michael Whitaker about their perilous journey. They were held captive against their will for hours before they managed to escape.
The elders were invited to Erwin Smith’s apartment and seemed quite normal until Smith held them hostage. He began to “physically batter them by punching, kicking and elbowing them.” according to court documents.
Smith threatened the two young elders by yelling at them and saying that he was “going to kill you guys and hide your bodies in the bathtub.” The elders stated that “the spirit really comforted us” and “what they really did at that point was just try to calm him down.” This lasted approximately three hours until at last the elders found an opportunity to escape and ran towards the door and ended up flagging down a police officer.
To show you the dedication of these elders, despite this life threatening situation that they had found themselves, they were out preaching the gospel the next day.
Smith was arrested and is now facing charges of kidnapping and aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
