Invite into rural house turns violent for local man

After being beaten, partially stripped of his clothes and abandoned in rural Kings County, a Lemoore man is currently recovering from his injuries at Hanford Community Medical Center after being led into a trap Tuesday night by a woman known only as "Lala."

Isodoro Lopez, 44, was leaving the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore when the woman approached him and asked for a ride home to Stratford, offering to pay for his trouble. The victim agreed to go and, once there, was lured into her house, where two men reportedly assaulted him and beat him unconscious using their hands, feet, and possibly a baseball bat.

Lopez was driven out near the intersection of 21st and Jackson avenues in a blue Chevrolet pickup and abandoned at 1:30 this morning

He was later seen screaming for help by a passing motorist, who reported it to the Sheriff's Department.

Deputies arrived to find Lopez wearing only underwear, socks and a T-shirt. He suffered multiple bruises, scrapes, scratches and abrasions in the assault.

The Sheriff's Department is looking for additional information about this crime. Anyone with information about the case is asked to call Deputy Dave Morrell at 582-3211, ext. 2790.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2425.

(April 30, 2008)