A Mesa couple branded the word “SNITCH” into the face of a 38-year-old woman who called police on them during a family fight, police say.

Authorities tracked down and arrested four suspects in the five days after the June 13 kidnap and assault in which the woman also suffered burns on her neck and shoulders. Also, her hair was shaved off.

Police say the act was in retaliation for a February 2006 domestic call that led authorities to take away the couple’s 5-year-old child.

“They basically treated her like an animal,” said Sgt. Chuck Trapani, Mesa police spokesman. “The reason they were angry at her was because she did her civic duty. It’s very evil and cruel-hearted. It’s like they weren’t only trying to hurt the victim, they were trying to humiliate her.”

The suspects are James H. Standridge, 34, Jackie L. Getz, 26, Preston Valdez, 21, and Kibbol A. Avila, 33. They were booked on suspicion of kidnapping, aggravated assault and unlawful imprisonment. Police are still looking for one more woman.

The Tribune is withholding the victim’s name because of the humiliating nature of the crime.

According to court documents, the woman went to Valdez’s apartment, but he told her to return in 30 minutes, knowing that Standridge and Getz were looking to pay her back for talking to police after a Feb. 6, 2006, domestic disturbance that led to Child Protective Services involvement that took custody of Getz’s 5-year-old son.

On June 13, Valdez called in the couple, who hid in the bedroom. After the woman returned, Valdez smoked methamphetamine with her, and the couple came out. Standridge punched the woman in the face and shaved off her hair as Valdez and Getz held her down, yelling about the 2006 incident, police said.

Trapani said investigators aren’t sure who branded the woman’s face, and they have yet to find the brand.

Getz, Standridge and Avila walked the blindfolded woman to a car outside where a woman driver waited, police said. They carried the brand and a handheld propane torch with them as they left.

The group dropped the woman off at Pepper Place and Standage in downtown Mesa, where she knocked on a door and asked for help. When police found her, she was bleeding from the mouth and disoriented, and told them she had blacked out during the torture.

In February 2006, the woman had told police that she saw Standridge on top of Getz with his hands around her neck. He also admitted that he had kicked down a door. Standridge was arrested then on suspicion of assault, criminal damage and possession of drug paraphernalia while officers arrested Getz on a warrant.

Police described the apartment as filthy and cluttered with meth pipes within easy reach of the child and piles of clothes, trash and rotting food everywhere. The conditions prompted police to notify CPS.

Getz defended Standridge, saying he often lost his temper since their baby in common had died in September 2004.

Getz told police she was three months pregnant at the time of the 2006 incident. She also has an 8-year-old child who is in the custody of an aunt, court documents show.

The child’s father was murdered in November 1997 and her family accused her of having contact with the killer while police were looking for him.

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