ST. LOUIS — On Monday, people in south St. Louis' Patch neighborhood expressed shock and sadness after hearing a woman was allegedly kidnapped, beaten and held against her will at Mount of Olives Ministry near Marceau and Minnesota avenues.
St. Louis police said shortly after 1 a.m. Saturday, they responded to a "call for help" at the church. According to a probable cause statement, officers found a woman in a room, bound with rope and bleeding from her head.
Pasi Heri, Mmunga Fungamali and Grace Kipendo have all been charged with one count each of kidnapping and assault.
Kipendo's lawyer, Chris Combs on Tuesday said his client is innocent.
"She's the victim of something. Of course, I believe my client had nothing to do with it," Combs said.
Combs said all three men are members of the church. Kipendo and Fungamali are brothers.
He said the victim, who is in her early 20s, and several other men and women live in separate rooms at the church.
"It's my understanding that yes, she was suffering from several mental health issues, and as far as what happened, no one knows," Combs said.
Combs said that during a bond hearing Monday, the woman's parents and siblings "supported the suspects" and told a judge that about a year ago they moved the woman to the st. Louis church "to get help."
Combs said a 30-day fast service was under way Friday night when police showed up.
"They were looking for her, and the next thing you know the police are there with her and she (identified) Mr. Kipendo, my client, his brother and another gentleman," Combs said. "... Everyone emphatically denies any involvement in this."
Kipendo is a second lieutenant in the army. He and his wife live in Arnold and they're expecting their first baby.
"I believe in the coming weeks a lot of light will be shed on this and an entirely different story will come out," Combs said.
All three men are scheduled to be back in court Monday for another bond hearing.