Content warning: This article references domestic abuse.
Netflix’s chilling new true-crime docuseries Worst Ex Ever is now streaming. The first episode delves into the unsettling case of Benjamin Obadiah Foster, an Oregon man with a history of domestic violence who tried to murder his girlfriend. What did Foster do, and what happened to him?
Directed by Cynthia Childs, Worst Ex Ever explores four relationships that turned violent due to abusive partners. The series provides a detailed account of each case through interviews with survivors, victims’ families, and investigators. The first episode of Season 1, Episode 1, “Dating The Devil,” focuses on Foster’s domestic abuse and what he did to his then-girlfriend Justine Siemens.
“One night in the small town of Grants Pass, Oregon, Angie receives a distressing call from her friend Justine,” the synopsis for Episode 1 reads. “When Angie shows up to Justine’s house, she comes across a terrible discovery that leads to a statewide police hunt for Justine’s boyfriend of two months.”
Did Ben Foster Have A History Of Domestic Abuse?
In 2017, in Las Vegas, Foster was charged with felony battery for domestic violence after his ex-girlfriend testified that he attempted to strangle her on Christmas Eve. She claimed that Foster attacked her after discovering a text from another man, according to CNN.
Two years later, in 2019, Foster held his then-girlfriend captive in her Las Vegas apartment for two weeks. According to a Las Vegas police report obtained by CBS News, she sustained seven broken ribs, two black eyes, and injuries from being bound with zip ties and duct tape. She managed to escape while they were out together at a grocery store and gas station.
Foster was initially charged with five felonies but reached a plea deal on August 21, in which he pleaded guilty to reduced charges: one felony count of battery and a misdemeanor count of battery involving domestic violence. He was sentenced to a maximum of 30 months in state prison.
However, after accounting for the 729 days Foster had spent in jail awaiting trial, he was released on the same day he was transferred to a Nevada state prison, per the AP.
Foster was also awaiting trial for another 2018 domestic violence case, but his 2021 plea deal with prosecutors resolved that case as well, according to CBS News.
What Did Ben Foster Do To Justine Siemens?
After his release, Foster moved to Grants Pass, Oregon, near his parents’ home. He started working as a bartender and met Justine Siemens, who initially described him as “nothing but nice” during the early stages of their relationship.
After Siemens discovered Foster’s criminal history in Las Vegas, she reported him to his employer, leading to his firing. In her Worst Ex Ever episode, Siemens recalled that Foster began stalking her, subjecting her to physical abuse and torture. He held her captive for three days, but she managed to call a friend for help on January 24, 2023.
Foster was still at the house when Siemens’ friend arrived to help her, but he managed to escape, authorities said. “This is a very serious event, a brutal assault of one of our residents that we take extremely seriously,” the police chief said after they discovered Siemens, who had been bound and beaten unconscious. “And we will not rest until we capture this individual.”
In the docuseries, Siemens revealed that she suffers from traumatic brain damage. She had to learn how to walk again and have her teeth replaced. “It’s been a lot to deal with. I’m very lucky to be alive,” she said.
How Did Ben Foster Evade Capture From The Police?
To evade capture, Benjamin Obadiah Foster used online dating apps to reach out to people who could assist with his escape or serve as potential victims. He frequently altered his appearance by changing his hairstyle and hair color or shaving his facial hair.
Among those who assisted Foster was 68-year-old Tina Marie Jones, who was arrested for hindering prosecution after she allowed him to stay on her property during the manhunt.
Police received a tip that someone matching Foster’s description had taken a cab from Sunny Valley, Oregon, back to Grants Pass, police said in a press conference. During welfare checks in the area, officers discovered Richard Lee Barron Jr., 74, and his caretaker Ronald Griffith, 65, beaten to death in their home. Authorities believe Foster is responsible for the murders.
Ultimately, Barron and Griffith’s white dog led police to Foster. Authorities received a tip about a man walking a white dog in Grants Pass, the police confirmed on Facebook.
What Happened To Ben Foster?
On January 31, 2023, Foster died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head after an hours-long standoff with authorities, according to CBS News. He was 36 years old at the time of his death.
Police surrounded the residence, where they believed Foster was hiding beneath the house. Officers were attempting to persuade him to surrender at the time of his death.
Thankfully, police confirmed that the little white dog was found “wandering many blocks away from the scene where the standoff took place,” and that “the dog was safely retrieved and taken to the animal shelter.”
Watch the official trailer for Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever below.
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