Elderly Woman Describes Abduction, Beating

An 83-year-old woman abducted from in front of her Westside home last month is talking about the experience now that the two teenagers accused of attacking her are in jail.

Margaret Weber said she was returning from church to her Townsend Road home on Oct. 11 when she was grabbed by two men and forced into the trunk of their car.

"We've never had a bit of problem until these two jerks showed up," Weber said.

Police said Jonathan Bishop, 18, and Maria Wood, 19, kidnapped Weber, and drove off.

They stopped twice to open the trunk to demand Weber's personal identification number. Each time she told them she didn't have a PIN. Police said each time they reacted by punching her in the face.

"I knew I was in big trouble," Weber said. "I just said, 'Lord, I know that you said you're always with me, so you're in the trunk with me, too.'"

Police said the two teens eventually dropped Weber off near the back of Memorial Park Cemetery off Normandy Boulevard. According to reports, she dragged herself to the nearest roadway and got the attention of a passing motorist, who called police.

Wood was arrested last week and booked into the Duval County jail. Bishop was arrested Tuesday after police said they found his fingerprint on a deposit ticket in the victim's purse.

Both were charged with kidnapping, inflicting bodily harm and strong-arm robbery. Wood was held on $750,000 bond. Because Bishop was also charged with violation of parole, he was not eligible for bond.

Her bruises have healed and she told Channel 4's Adam Landau that the attack will not slow her down. She did say that she is now paying more aware of her surroundings when she gets in and out of her car.

Previous Story:

• November 21, 2007: Police: 2 Teens Kidnap, Rob Elderly Woman