A Virginia Beach man is accused of locking his girlfriend inside a self-storage unit for more than two days, according to court documents.
Investigators say the incident happened at My Storage on London Bridge Road between June 23 and June 25.
According to a criminal complaint, the woman told police she went to the facility with her boyfriend, 49-year-old Troy Hofheimer, when the two got into an argument. She alleges Hofheimer pushed her into a storage unit, shut the roll-up door and secured it with a padlock, leaving her trapped inside with her dog and two guinea pigs.
Court records state Hofheimer returned several times over the next two days and asked whether she wanted to leave, but allegedly locked the unit again after each visit. When questioned by investigators, the woman said she did not attempt to leave because she feared Hofheimer would stop her. According to the affidavit, she told police he had previously strangled her until she lost consciousness.
The situation came to light after a My Storage employee reportedly saw the couple arguing on the property. After Hofheimer left, the employee heard the woman yelling from inside the storage unit and contacted the Virginia Beach Police Department. My Storage confirmed the incident occurred at the facility but declined to comment further while the case is pending.
A search warrant indicates the couple may have been living in the storage unit. Investigators described difficult conditions inside, stating the woman had exhausted her drinking water supply, survived on packaged tuna, used water bottles as a toilet and stored her animals' waste in a trash bag.
Hofheimer was arrested June 30 and faces charges of abduction by force, suffocation, and assault and battery, according to court records. Although prosecutors sought to keep him in custody, the Virginia Beach Sheriff's Office said he was released July 3.
A person identifying themselves as a friend of Hofheimer told local television station 13News Now that similar allegations had been made against him in the past but were later disproven. The station reported it contacted Virginia Beach police to verify the claim.
Hofheimer's next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 17.