For the week of July 25 - July 31, 2001

Two men are charged with ‘duct tape’ beating

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By GREG MOORE
Express Staff Writer

Two local young men were surprised during a scheduled visit to the Blaine County probation officer Thursday by being placed under arrest for the mysterious beating May 25 of a Ketchum man.

The victim, Edward "Ted" Tuma, 30, had been found walking outside his Sun Chateau apartment on Warm Springs Road, bruised, bleeding and bound with duct tape. He told police that two young men had attacked him with a small club, but he had no idea who they were or why they beat him.

Christopher D. Redd, 21, a Hailey resident, and Daniel T. Johnson, 23, a Ketchum resident, were arrested on felony charges of aggravated battery and kidnapping.

Ketchum Police Chief Cal Nevland said investigators believe the two men were looking for a large quantity of marijuana they believed to be in a Sun Chateau apartment, but they had the wrong apartment. He said police were initially tipped off to the two suspects by someone, not Tuma, who informed them of that scenario.

Nevland said the Hailey Police Department was "of great assistance" in pursuing the investigation.

Redd and Johnson were reported in custody in Blaine County Jail early this week with their bonds set at $35,000.

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