A Florida man faces life in prison after a jury convicted him of kidnapping his wife and four children during a violent crime spree that included beating her with a tire iron and threatening to kill them all.
Antonio Caban, 36, will be sentenced on July 7 in Collier County Circuit Court, according to a press release from the sheriff’s office. Caban’s wife and children had fled Puerto Rico and moved to Florida to escape his years of abuse. But Caban followed them, resulting in a horrific day in 2023.
The victims decided to meet Caban at a motel in Labelle. Caban demanded to see his wife and children again the following day, Jan. 3, 2023, according to a probable cause arrest affidavit. They met in a grocery store parking lot, where Caban and his wife had a heated argument. The wife attempted to drive away with the children, but Caban reached into the car and took the keys out of the ignition.
Caban took control of the vehicle and “said he was going to destroy it and kill everyone,” according to the affidavit. His wife attempted to jump out of the car, but Caban bit her on the face. They continued to drive across several counties. Caban drove to a rural area and parked the car. According to the affidavit, he ordered everyone out and threatened to kill them if they did not comply.
Love true crime? Sign up for our newsletter, The Law&Crime Docket, to receive the most recent real-life crime stories directly to your inbox.
Then he grabbed a tire iron and beat his wife. Caban ordered everyone back into the car and resumed driving. He also threatened to drive to Home Depot and buy a shovel to bury their bodies after killing them. When his wife began receiving phone calls, he parked the car and buried her phone in the middle of a citrus field.
The wife then “tricked” him into driving them to the shelter where she had been staying so she could pick up some personal documents. When she arrived, she sought assistance. Collier County Sheriff’s deputies arrived and rescued the family. They arrested Caban.
“This case is a stark reminder of the dangers that victims of domestic violence can face,” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk stated. “I applaud the victim for her bravery and quick thinking in the face of extreme danger. I’d also like to thank our deputies and partner agencies for their prompt, coordinated response, which helped bring this family to safety and a violent offender to justice.”
