Man charged with abusing woman, locking her in kennel

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Police say a woman was beaten, raped, strangled and locked in a kennel over several days by a man who is now facing a list of charges.

Justin Livingston, 39, is charged with attempted second-degree murder by strangulation, aggravated rape, aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.

Police say they met the victim at a local hospital. She told them Livingston had held her captive for four days at a home on Isabelle Street in the Grahamwood area, where she was beaten with a leather belt, fists, and a sex toy.

The woman told police she was raped repeatedly and was strangled until she lost consciousness.

She also said Livingston would lock her in a kennel for hours at a time.

WREG talked to Livingston’s neighbor of two years, Morgan Jones, who says they have had several run-ins.

“One time, I had to call the police on them because he was out in the front yard shooting a gun at her, but when the police got here, they just went back inside and acted like nothing happened,” Jones said.

Another neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous, says it’s scary for their children. “We have kids and they go back and forth to the library and things like that. You just have to be careful out here; you never know what you will run into.”

📲 Download the WREG App today and stay up to date with breaking news and weather.

📧 Sign up for WREG newsletters and have the latest top stories sent right to your inbox.

📡 See more breaking news, local news and weather from WREG.com for Memphis and the Mid-South .

Justin Livingston’s bond was set at $250,000. He is scheduled to appear back in court on Monday.

For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to WREG.com.