Badly beaten man forced to live in dog cage is rescued in raid, West Virginia cops say

A West Virginia man was brutally beaten and forced to live in a dog cage, until an anonymous tip led police to his rescue.

According to Beckley police, a “concerned citizen” came into the department on Saturday and told them a man was being held against his will at a home in the town. He was being kept in a cage and appeared to have been beaten severely, the tipster said.

Roughly three hours later, Beckley police went to the address, along with a Raleigh County Sheriff’s Office Special Response Team.

Authorities raided the house and found the victim, who was “observed to be badly injured, suffering from multiple lacerations, contusions, and a significant injury to an upper extremity,” Beckley police said. He was taken to a hospital for treatment.

Police arrested 32-year-old Joshua Aaron Lafferty on charges of kidnapping, malicious wounding, and conspiracy to commit a felony. Lafferty has been jailed without bond.

Police said the kidnapping was drug-related.

According to court documents, two other men were in the home with Lafferty, and can be heard taunting the victim in a video shared with police, WVNS reported.

Later at the hospital, the victim told authorities Lafferty was demanding money from him, and at one point beat him with a shovel.

Police are searching for the other two men, the station reported.

More charges are expected to be brought as the investigation continues, police said.