HPD arrests man charged with robbing and kidnapping roommate near downtown Houston
HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- A man charged with robbing and kidnapping his roommate has been arrested, according to Houston police.
Joshua DeLoach, 29, is expected to appear in court on Friday.
He's accused of pointing a gun at his roommate on May 8 when he was asked to pay his rent.
His roommate said he asked the suspect to move out after he missed two months of rent. From there, things escalated.
ORIGINAL REPORT: Bound robbery victim managed to escape suspect who drove him 25 miles away from home, HPD says
Security camera footage from inside the victim's house in the 300 block of Eado Park Circle shows the incident unfold.
DeLoach can be seen on the surveillance video pulling out a gun and threatening his roommate, Justin Iwuji, telling him to get on his knees.
Off-frame, Iwujii is heard pleading with the suspect.
"Bro... what's the issue?" Iwuji asks.
READ MORE: Wanted suspect missed 2 months of rent before alleged kidnapping and robbery, victim says
The victim said DeLoach held him at gunpoint, demanded he transfer $6,000 into his bank account, and then forced him to open up a safe with jewelry and took some items.
Then, Iwuji said he was forced into a shower, where the gunman allegedly acted like he was going to shoot him. Instead, he reportedly tied Iwuji up, blindfolded him, put him in the trunk of his own car and took off.
ABC13 spoke to the roommate earlier this week about his escape.
"I then push myself out of the car with my feet. I fall onto the ground. I manage to pry myself up with the tire of the car. I somehow manage to get the duct tape off of my ankles. Then I just get up and and I take off -- arms, wrists, hands still tied together," Iwuji recalled. "I run across some main roads, across a strip shopping area, across the street. There's another lady in her vehicle. She's pulling off. I'm waving at her. She slows down, but she's looking very scared, confused. Honestly, I don't blame her for not stopping."
Iwuji said he ran to a nearby road and was able to flag down a truck, whose driver gave him a ride to meet police.
"He stopped and I said, 'Hey, I don't need to get in your car. I'll get in the bed of your truck. But call 911; my roommate is trying to kill me,'" Iwuji said. "So he said, 'OK, get in the bed of the truck.' So I got in the bed of his truck. I laid flat, and he drove several miles and stopped, and the police were able to meet us."
The suspect drove about 25 miles, from Houston's East End up to FM-1960, before Iwuji was able to escape.
