Final arrest in kidnapping

The final suspect in an alleged Marcola area kidnapping turned himself in Saturday morning, less than 24 hours after the other missing suspect did the very same thing.

Kody Lane Lawrence, 22, of Springfield, is in custody along with five other suspects accused of involvement in the Oct. 9 kidnapping of a man from a convenience store in the area.

“He just showed up at the Lane County Jail this morning,” Lane County Sheriff’s Sgt. Cliff Harrold said Saturday, referring to Lawrence.

On Friday afternoon, 19-year-old Jared Allen Youngblood, also of Springfield, turned himself in about 17 hours before Lawrence would.

Both young men are charged with kidnapping, unlawful use of a weapon and third-degree assault.

The investigation began on Oct. 9 after a man flagged down a vehicle on Marcola Road about 8 a.m. and asked the driver to take him to the nearest police station, saying he had just escaped from being held captive for more than a day, according to the sheriff’s office.

The victim, reportedly in his 30s, said he had been waiting for a friend outside the Riverview Market near the intersection of Marcola Road and Camp Creek Road on the morning of Oct. 8 when a group of men forced him into a car, drove him from the scene and took him to a house in the area. The victim said he was held in wrist restraints, assaulted and threatened with a gun before he was able to escape while the men were outside.

Investigators have not publicly discussed any potential motive in the case. Sheriff’s Capt. Bill Thompson has said the victim is acquainted with the suspects.

Lane County sheriff’s deputies took three of the suspects into custody after a state police SWAT team helped them serve a search warrant at 89505 Old Mohawk Road on Oct. 14. Payton Benson, 18, Cody Morton, 21, Dustin Norris, 21, and Benson’s father, Richard Benson, 46, all of Springfield, are also in the Lane County Jail on charges that include kidnapping. Richard Benson was taken into custody later on Oct. 14 after further investigation, Harrold said Saturday.

At least three of the suspects apparently reside at the Old Mohawk Road address that is owned by Morton’s family, Harrold said.