Sun, Jul 05, 2009

Tucson Region

2 brothers sought in abduction-torture-robbery case

By Nathan Olivarez-Giles
Arizona Daily Star
Tucson, Arizona | Published: 01.02.2008
Tucson police are searching for two brothers suspected of helping a University of Arizona law school student and former beauty queen kidnap, torture and rob her ex-boyfriend, an official said.
Police have warrants for the arrest of Michael Ergonis, 46, and his brother, Robert Ergonis, 44, said Sgt. Fabian Pacheco, a police spokesman.
The Dec. 10 warrants connect the Ergonis brothers with UA law student Kumari Fulbright and Larry Bruce Hammond in the 10-hour abduction and torture that took place Dec. 8, Pacheco said.
The Ergonis brothers, Fulbright, 25, and Hammond, 40, are accused of tying up a 24-year-old man with plastic cable and duct tape and holding him captive in two homes, one on the North Side and one in Midtown, according to court documents.
Fulbright, who works as a law clerk for U.S. District Judge Raner Collins, was indicted in Pima County Superior Court Dec. 18 on five felony charges: armed robbery, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon.
Court documents say the four suspects pointed pistols at the man, threatened his life and stole his wallet, cell phone, briefcase and $500 to $600 in cash.
The documents also say Fulbright bit her ex-boyfriend several times while he was tied up and that she stuck a butcher knife in his ear.
After nearly 10 hours, the man escaped, running out of the house screaming for help, according to the documents.
Police said the man's injuries were consistent with his story.
Court documents also say that at one point the victim was able to get hold of Fulbright's gun, which went off.
A search-warrant inventory filed in court indicates police found an expended bullet at a home in the 1200 block of East Knox Drive, on the North Side near North First Avenue and East Prince Road.
Police also found .45-caliber ammunition, plastic gloves, marijuana, the victim's wallet and briefcase, and a book, "How to Win Friends and Influence People," at the North Side home.
Duct tape was found at a home in the 2400 block of North Bryant Avenue, near East Grant Road and North Alvernon Way in Midtown.
Assault and disorderly conduct charges were filed against the victim in March and dismissed on Dec. 6 after he completed a diversion program, according to court documents.
Hammond remains jailed on $50,000 bond.
Fulbright was released from the Pima County jail on $50,000 bail.
Fulbright ran in the Miss Arizona contest and was named Miss Pima County in 2005 and Miss Desert Sun in 2006.
● Contact reporter Nathan Olivarez-Giles at 307-0579 or nolivarezgiles@azstarnet.com. ● Reporter Kim Smith contributed to this story.