Negasi Zuberi, who was accused of holding women captive in a makeshift cinderblock cell inside his rental garage, has been convicted of multiple charges, including kidnapping and transporting victims for criminal sexual activity.
The 30-year-old was convicted on Friday, following a trial that unveiled the chilling details of his heinous crimes.
The jury’s decision came after hearing testimonies from two survivors who described their ordeal at his hands.
However, the trial also highlighted the failure of local authorities to adequately respond to the first victim’s report of kidnapping and sexual assault in May 2023.
The lack of police action and attention in the early stages of the investigation likely allowed Zuberi to abduct of a second woman just two months later.
Negasi Zuberi abducts first victim
The first known victim of Zuberi’s violence was a local woman who had been celebrating Cinco de Mayo at a bar in Klamath Falls, Oregon.
She testified that after a night out, Zuberi forced her into his car, handcuffed her wrists and ankles, and assaulted her with a Taser.
She described the harrowing car ride where Zuberi repeatedly hit her in the head and fired the Taser into her ribs, rendering her concussed. She was forced to perform sexual acts in the back of his car as he continued to beat her.
Fearing for her life, the woman described trying to stay conscious by repeating the names of her family members. “I genuinely thought I was dying,” she told the court.
Zuberi, she said, revealed a bizarre and terrifying plan during the assault. He told her that his goal was to impregnate women to “raise an army” with their children.
After being held captive for over half of a day and repeatedly assaulted, the woman managed to convince Zuberi to let her go by claiming that she needed to care for a sick pet.
He took her to an ATM, gave her $300, and warned her against contacting the authorities. The victim went to the police days later to report the kidnapping and rape.
Police don’t take first victim seriously
Despite the gravity of the woman’s claims and the brutality of the attack she described, local law enforcement’s response was lackluster.
When the victim reported her assault, the police officer assigned to her case failed to take critical steps in preserving evidence.
She testified that the officer did not collect her unwashed clothes, which could have contained forensic evidence, nor did he take the sketch she drew of her attacker.
Instead, the case appeared to be treated as a low priority, with the officer failing to follow up for days.
The victim stated she had to repeatedly call the police—three or four times—before receiving any meaningful updates.
Even then, another officer merely informed her that they would let her know if any new developments arose.
“From her perspective, local police did not take it seriously, didn’t follow up, and left her really frustrated,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Nathan Lichvarcik said during the trial.
Had law enforcement taken her report seriously, investigators might have been able to apprehend Zuberi before he could attack another victim.
Instead, their inaction allowed him to continue his predatory behavior unchecked, leading to the abduction of a second woman just two months later.
Negasi Zuberi holds second victim in cinderblock cell
On July 15, 2023, Zuberi’s next victim encountered him 450 miles away from Klamath Falls in Seattle, Washington.
This time, he posed as an undercover police officer after soliciting her for prostitution. Flashing a fake badge, he threatened the woman with a Taser, handcuffed her, and placed leg irons on her before shoving her into the back of his Honda Pilot.
Zuberi then drove over 400 miles back to Klamath Falls, during which time he sexually assaulted the woman and forced her to keep quiet under threat of further violence.
The victim later testified that she became suspicious when the trip took much longer than expected and confirmed her fears upon seeing a GPS screen in the car that indicated they were still two hours away from their destination. At this point, she realized she had been abducted.
Upon arriving at Zuberi’s home, the victim was forced into a cinderblock cell that he had constructed inside his garage.
According to the prosecution, the 120-pound woman fell asleep briefly, but soon awoke with the terrifying realization that she would likely die if she didn’t escape.
She began punching the metal door until she managed to create a small opening and squeezed her body through it.
Bleeding and traumatized, she managed to find a handgun in Zuberi’s vehicle and scaled a fence outside the property.
Running barefoot down the road, she flagged down a passing motorist, screaming for help. “He raped me!” she yelled, alerting the driver, who immediately took her to a local hospital for medical care.
Second victim escapes
After the victim was safe, she led law enforcement back to Zuberi’s residence, where they uncovered further evidence of his chilling plans.
Inside the garage, they found the cinderblock cell where she had been held captive, a space specifically designed to keep victims locked in.
Investigators also found a handwritten note titled “Operation Take Over,” in which Zuberi had detailed plans to abduct and imprison more women.
Despite the overwhelming evidence, Zuberi initially evaded capture. He was eventually tracked down and arrested in Reno, Nevada, where he was found sitting in a Walmart parking lot with his family inside his Honda Pilot.
When law enforcement approached, Zuberi made a dramatic attempt to take his own life by cutting himself with a sharp object, causing severe bleeding. He also tried to destroy his phone, but was ultimately subdued and taken into custody.
At his trial, Negasi Zuberi was found guilty on all charges, including kidnapping, transporting victims for criminal sexual activity, and illegal possession of firearms.
He now faces life in prison for the kidnapping charge, with additional sentences for his other crimes.
He should never see the light of day again. Lock him up , never let him out of a cell and let the other inmates know he leans homosexual. He wants sex, let him have all he gets.