Her former boyfriend was later arrested at LEGOLAND California after a multistate search that began following the October 2025 attack.
PAULDEN, AZ — An Arizona woman is speaking publicly about escaping from a rural Yavapai County trailer where authorities say her former boyfriend restrained and strangled her, an alleged October 2025 attack that led to a months-long search across several states.
The woman, whose identity has not been publicly disclosed because of the continuing court case, described the alleged attack and the years of domestic violence she said came before it in an interview published Friday by FOX 10 Phoenix. Jason Marchesano, 46, is now in Yavapai County custody facing kidnapping and aggravated assault charges. An attempted second-degree murder charge has been dismissed without prejudice, allowing prosecutors to potentially file it again.
The alleged attack happened Oct. 28, 2025, at a property in Paulden, an unincorporated community north of Prescott. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office has said Marchesano restrained the woman with bedsheets inside a trailer and allegedly strangled her. She eventually escaped and reported what happened to authorities.
Deputies documented bruising that investigators said was consistent with the woman’s account. Authorities later obtained a search warrant for the trailer and reported finding bedding and the woman’s identification inside. Property owners also confirmed that an argument had occurred, according to earlier reporting based on information from the sheriff’s office.
The woman told FOX 10 that the relationship had been peaceful during its first two years but said Marchesano later became aggressive. She described a pattern in which she said he would manipulate her into remaining involved with him. She said the October encounter left her fearing she might not survive. “I kept saying I was sorry to myself for letting it happen again,” she said.
After the woman escaped, investigators began searching for Marchesano. Detectives followed leads through Arizona and Nevada before receiving information that he had traveled to California. The Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office said cooperation among agencies and information from a member of the public helped investigators locate him.
Carlsbad police arrested Marchesano on May 27 at LEGOLAND California in San Diego County. He had been wanted on a nationwide warrant connected to the Paulden case. Authorities said he was taken into custody without incident, ending a search that had continued for about seven months.
The woman said the period before Marchesano’s arrest left her fearful that he could return. She told FOX 10 she avoided going out for a time and stayed in close contact with relatives when she did leave home. She said learning that Marchesano had been captured helped her begin moving forward and gave her confidence to speak publicly about what she says happened.
Marchesano remains accused, and the pending charges have not been proven in court. The woman said she decided to share her experience in part to acknowledge what she survived. “I’m still here, and I’m living my life,” she said.
Marchesano remains in custody in Yavapai County on the kidnapping and aggravated assault case. His next reported proceeding is a pretrial conference scheduled for Aug. 31. Prosecutors have not publicly indicated whether they will refile the attempted second-degree murder charge.
Author note: Last updated August 22, 2026.