What Happened to Anita Wooldridge? Abduction by Victor Steele highlighted on ID

Anita Wooldridge photo
Anita Wooldridge was abducted by Victor Steele. Pic credit: Family Photo

Anita Wooldridge was a recent college graduate when she was abducted and raped by convicted sex offender Victor Steele. Her survival story is featured on What Happened to Anita Wooldridge on Investigation Discovery.

At around 10:40 am on June 25, 1988, Wooldridge was at her home on East Center Road in Kokomo, Indiana, when she received a surprise visit from Steele, who she knew from her previous job at Celebrity Fitness Center.

Steele asked for water before using a stun gun on her three times, which caused her body to go limp.

He carried Wooldridge to her vehicle, a 1990 Buick, and placed her in the trunk of the car. Steele then drove to his home in Indiana, where he sexually assaulted her in the garage.

Soon after Steele then moved Wooldridge to an apartment he rented in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, where he kept her locked in a small, metal cabinet.

He would only let her out to sexually assault her, watch tv, and to play games.

For eight days, Wooldridge was beaten and repeatedly raped.

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At one point, Steele told her that she wouldn’t remember her family and that she would fall in love with him.

On July 2, 1988, Wooldridge was rescued by police officers.

She was found with stun-gun markings on her stomach and back, and a bruised, purple face.

Steele was arrested and booked into the Marion County jail. He was charged with kidnapping, carjacking, and illegal possession of a firearm.

Following a five-day trial, a jury deliberated for three hours before finding Steele guilty of the charges.

He was sentenced to life in prison.

Wooldridge is now a victim’s advocate and has written a book about her ordeal.

What Happened to Anita Wooldridge airs at 10:00 pm on Investigation Discovery.

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Valica810
Valica810
4 years ago

Why wasn’t he also charged with rape and crossing State line?

Cecil Westervelt
Cecil Westervelt
3 years ago
Reply to  Valica810

1-Laws don’t age we’ll. Those charges in that state at that time were a guaranteed win for the da with a good outcome.
2-There are realities on both sides of sexual assault cases that folks on both sides just don’t want to be realistic about.
3- there is probably a great deal of information we both lack, as does the whole public. Regardless of sex, I think anyone reading this is probably aghast about steele’s behavior. I literally cannot fathom doing that to someone. I’m not more good or evil. That leads to suspect a deep and essential wrongness to him. A damaged brain, or mind. I could be wrong though, in my firm adherence to the idea tabula Raza equal for all.

Jack
Jack
2 months ago

Can’t help but wonder re the accuracy of this article given that it’s stated she was abducted in 1988 and then carried to her 1990 Buick… then released after 8 days in 1998?

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