In what Travis County prosecutors are calling “one of the most sadistic cases in department history,” five individuals face life in prison—or possibly death row—after a 31-year-old woman was discovered October 30 chained to a backyard fence post like a dog, emaciated, covered in open sores, and screaming for help that finally came after months of silence.

Arrested and charged with first-degree aggravated kidnapping and injury to a person by omission are:

Hannah Bryant, 28 – alleged ringleader
Jacob Bryant, 31 – her husband
Cassandra “Cassie” McLean, 26
Derek Vaughn, 34
Marissa Ochoa, 29

All five lived at the single-story home on Pack Saddle Pass in far south Austin, a quiet cul-de-sac where neighbors now admit they “heard weird noises at night but thought it was just dogs.”

According to the 42-page probable-cause affidavit obtained by Fox 7 Austin and KVUE, the victim—referred to only as “Jane Doe” to protect her identity—had been best friends with Hannah Bryant since middle school. The group originally invited her to crash on their couch in June 2025 after a breakup. By July, she wasn’t allowed to leave.

Timeline of Terror (from the affidavit):

July 12: Victim told she “wasn’t pulling her weight” and locked in a 10×10 backyard shed with no AC.
July 28: First time chained outside overnight “for talking back.”
August 5: BB gun shootings began—“target practice” on her legs and buttocks. Photos show over 200 welts.
August 19: Fed only ramen cups and water bottles; lost 68 lbs in 90 days.
September 3: Forced to use a bucket for a toilet; bucket emptied only once a week.
October 15: Hannah Bryant allegedly burned victim’s feet with a blowtorch “because she kept crying.”
October 29: Neighbors finally called 911 after hearing “non-stop screaming that didn’t sound human.”

When APD officers arrived, they found Jane Doe handcuffed by both wrists to a 6-foot metal punching-bag frame jammed between two fence slats. Her ankles were zip-tied, and a dog choke-chain was padlocked around her neck. Body-cam footage shows officers vomiting at the smell of feces and infection.

“She kept whispering ‘thank you, thank you’ while we cut her loose,” Officer Maria Hernandez told detectives. “I’ve been on the force 18 years. I’ve never seen anything this evil.”

Chilling Confessions

During interrogation, Hannah Bryant allegedly laughed and said: “We got tired of her mooching. Figured if she wanted to stay so bad, she could stay like a dog.”

Jacob Bryant reportedly told detectives: “It started as a joke—lock her up for a weekend. Then we just… forgot about her.”

Cassie McLean cried on camera, claiming she “felt bad but was scared of Hannah.” Vaughn and Ochoa invoked their right to silence.

Victim’s Condition & Road to Recovery

Transported to St. David’s South Austin Medical Center in critical condition, Jane Doe weighed just 87 pounds. Doctors removed three inches of dead skin from her ankles, treated sepsis, and discovered a fractured jaw that had healed crooked. As of November 6, she remains hospitalized but conscious, able to speak in short sentences. Her first words to a nurse: “Tell my mom I’m sorry I didn’t fight harder.”

Community Outrage & Death Penalty Push

Travis County DA José Garza announced Thursday he will seek the death penalty, citing “exceptional depravity.” A rally outside the Gardner-Betts Juvenile Justice Center drew over 400 people holding signs reading “Monsters Live Here.”

GoFundMe pages for the victim’s medical bills and therapy have raised $1.2 million in six days. Neighbor Sarah Mendoza started the main fundraiser after admitting she “heard the screams but was too scared to call sooner.”

Bond Denied – Next Court Date

All five suspects were denied bond November 5 after prosecutors played body-cam audio of the victim begging, “Please don’t leave me here again.” Judge Selena Alvarenga called the group “a clear and present danger to every citizen of Austin.”

Next hearing: November 19, 2025. If convicted on all counts, each faces 15 years to life—or execution.

As one APD sergeant put it: “This wasn’t a crime of passion. This was boredom turned into hell.”

Austin PD asks anyone with prior tips about the Pack Saddle Pass house to call the tip line at 512-974-5099. The nightmare is over for Jane Doe—but the fight for justice is just beginning.