Fresno man arrested accused of kidnapping and beating girlfriend

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Fresno police said the streets are safer now that a man with a violent history is behind bars.

Ricardo Rosas was arrested on Saturday. He's accused of kidnapping his girlfriend and beating her for drug money.

Fresno police said 26-year-old Rosas is a dangerous man, an ex-convict who is back in the system. Accused of kidnapping and beating his girlfriend.

"Extremely violent man, so it's good he's in custody," said Lt. Joe Gomez, Fresno Police Department.

Fresno police said on July 5th, Rosas attacked his girlfriend near Kings Canyon and Chance. He said, Rosas took her bike and dragged her back to their apartment.

"He wouldn't release her, he tied her hands up, her wrists up, and her ankles with a cord-- a vacuum cord,"

Officers said the woman wasn't allowed to leave for 3 days. She was beat up multiple times and threatened with a pocket knife. All for drug money, Gomez said-- $200 to get high on heroin.

"She was very, very fearful of him and that he would kill her-- she believed that."

It's a valid fear, given his criminal history. Rosas has been convicted of domestic violence, twice in the past. He served prison time for the second case, but that first case links him to an unsolved murder.

The victim was the sister of a boy who disappeared in 2009-- 15-year-old Steven Humphrey.

Rosas was convicted of throwing Molotov Cocktails at his home back then and four years later, the teen's body was found buried in Rosas' backyard.

Police named Rosas as the sole suspect in the murder but were never able to find enough evidence to arrest him.

"That is somebody who needs to be off the street. So let's hope he doesn't get out," said Gomez.

As for the current girlfriend, police said Rosas let her go and she went to police, with black eyes, bruises, and a bite mark on the arm.

Rosas is here at the Fresno County Jail booked on several charges including, felony spousal abuse, kidnapping, and robbery.