Kearns woman recounts bizarre kidnapping incident


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KEARNS — A Kearns woman says she was held captive for three days in Arizona, beaten, sexually assaulted and tattooed as her captor's property.

Gloria Roberts said it all started more than a month ago when she and the accused kidnapper had an exchange on a social media site. It ended when police rescued her more than 600 miles from home and arrested her alleged attacker.

Federal and local authorities are still piecing together the complex case of a woman who said she was manipulated online, groomed by a man for potential sex trafficking, beaten and held in an apartment in southern Arizona.

Roberts said she is sharing her story so that others won't fall into the same trap.

"I will never be the same, never will be," she said. "I'm very broken. I'm still rebuilding myself and healing."

Roberts claims Matthew Demond Lyons contacted her on a social media app, where the two corresponded approximately three times.

He texted her a month ago, letting her know he knew her number and where she lived. He threatened to harm her and her 12-year-old daughter, Roberts said.

She said Lyons called her and said he was tracking her electronically. "At that point I was scared," she said.

On June 3, Roberts said he told her to tie up loose ends so people would not look for her, and to drive to Sierra Vista, Arizona. According to court papers, she drove there willingly. However, she said she was coerced."I made mistakes along the way, absolutely. I should have called the police instantly. And that's one of my biggest regrets," she admitted.

"I made mistakes along the way, absolutely. I should have called the police instantly, and that's one of my biggest regrets," she said.

Matthew Lyons. Photo: Cochise County Attorney's Office
Matthew Lyons. Photo: Cochise County Attorney's Office

She said for the next three days she thought she was going to die. She said she was drugged and tattooed as his property. He shaved her bald, sexually assaulted her and beat her.

"He was constantly telling me things: you're mine, you're my property, you're nothing," she said.

On the third day, while Lyons was showering, she texted a coworker who contacted police. They rescued Roberts and arrested Lyons later that day. He now faces 14 charges, including kidnapping, sexual assault, robbery and sex trafficking. Lyons also faces charges for allegedly luring a 16-year-old to Arizona for sexual exploitation and sex trafficking.

"I was so lost and felt so alone," Roberts said.

She said she's sharing her story because she doesn't want this to happen to anybody else. "I feel like I fought back. I've taken control back," she said.

Roberts' story and the account in the probable cause statement taken from her interview with police differ in several details. When KSL asked her about the discrepancies, she said she was "foggy" about periods of time because of the drugs she was given.

Lyons is due back in court in August.

Roberts has a GoFundMe account* set up for those who wish to donate.

*KSL.com does not assure that the money deposited to the account will be applied for the benefit of the persons named as beneficiaries. If you are considering a deposit to the account, you should consult your own advisors and otherwise proceed at your own risk.

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Jed Boal

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