On October 8, 2021, at about 0844 hours, Newark Police were contacted by a female victim who reported an assault.  The investigation found that at about 0400 hours, the victim was at an apartment in the 100-block of East Main Street with a male who was known to her.  The male was identified as Brandon Freyre, 20, of Arnold, MD.

Freyre and the victim engaged in a verbal argument.  During the course of the argument, Freyre damaged property belonging to the victim.  The argument escalated and Freyre struck the victim with blunt objects, sprayed her in the eyes with spray paint and threatened to kill the victim if she contacted police.  He next strangled her to unconsciousness. Freyre blocked the exit to the room and prevented the victim from leaving the apartment.  After about four hours, he threw the victim down a flight of stairs and she was able to flee the apartment and contact police.

The victim was transported to an area hospital by EMS and was treated for non-life-threatening injuries.

Newark Police located Freyre at his apartment in Newark and took him into custody without incident.  Freyre was transported to Newark Police headquarters where he was charged with:

• Kidnapping Second Degree
• Assault Second Degree
• Strangulation
• Terroristic Threatening
• Assault Third Degree
• Criminal Mischief

Freyre appeared before Justice of the Peace Court #2 by video and was ordered to be held in default of $38,100 cash bail.  Freyre was turned over to the custody of the Howard R. Young Correctional Institution in Wilmington.

On October 9, 2021, at about 1253 hours, Newark Police responded to the Acme store in The Grove (formerly College Square Shopping Center) for a report of a shoplifting.  Arriving officers found that two females loaded a shopping cart with merchandise and began to exit the store without paying.  An employee told the suspects to stop and one of the suspects threatened to spray the employee with a chemical agent, while pointing it at the employee.  The suspects fled on foot northbound.  The victim employee was not injured.

The suspects are described as two black females,  between 25-35 years of age and 5’5″ tall.  One suspect had long braids and was wearing a gray and black leopard or zebra sweatshirt and gray sweatpants.  She was armed with the chemical agent.  The other suspect was wearing dark sweatpants and a dark sweatshirt.

Anyone with information about this incident is asked to contact Officer P. Klein at (302) 366-7100 x. 3480 or pklein@newark.de.us.  Additional methods for providing information to Newark Police can be found on our tips page, where reward information may also be available.