Justine Siemens is a Grants Pass, Oregon woman who survived three days of captivity and torture by her boyfriend, Benjamin Obadiah Foster, in January 2023. The attack left her in a coma with traumatic brain damage, and her recovery and account of the ordeal later anchored the first episode of the Netflix docuseries Worst Ex Ever. Foster, the subject of a weeklong multi-state manhunt, died by suicide during a police standoff on January 31, 2023.
Who Her Attacker Was
Siemens and Foster met as coworkers in Grants Pass and began dating in 2021, after Foster relocated to Oregon from Nevada.1The Oregonian. Worst Ex Ever Hit Netflix Series Explores a Horrible Oregon Crime and Survivors’ Chilling Stories Siemens later said that in the early stages Foster was “nothing but nice.”2Forbes. The Terrifying True Story Behind Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever
What she did not know at first was that Foster had a documented history of violence against women he dated. In 2019, while awaiting trial on a separate domestic violence charge, he held a Las Vegas girlfriend captive in her apartment for roughly two weeks, binding her with zip ties and duct tape, choking her repeatedly to unconsciousness, and forcing her to eat lye. She escaped and arrived at a hospital with seven broken ribs, two black eyes, and abrasions on her wrists and ankles.3CNN. Oregon Kidnapping Suspect Benjamin Foster Dead Foster was initially charged with five felonies, but in August 2021 reached a plea deal with Clark County prosecutors and was released that October after being credited with 729 days of time served.4Fox 5 Vegas. Kidnap Suspect Released Day He Arrived Nevada Prison District Attorney Steve Wolfson later said the deal was necessary because the victim refused to testify.5News 3 Las Vegas. Clark County DA Answers Questions on Violent Oregon Kidnapping Suspect’s Nevada Jail Time
At some point during their relationship, Siemens discovered Foster’s criminal history and reported it to his employer, which led to his termination. Foster then began stalking her.6Today. Worst Ex Ever: Justine Siemens, Benjamin Obadiah Foster Now
The Three Days in January 2023
In January 2023, Foster held Siemens captive in her Grants Pass home for three days. He bound her and beat her until she lost consciousness. On January 24, 2023, she managed to contact her friend Angela Milner for help. When Milner arrived at the house on Shane Way, she found Siemens face-down on the laundry room floor, bleeding heavily from head injuries, with rope looped around her ankles, limbs, and neck.1The Oregonian. Worst Ex Ever Hit Netflix Series Explores a Horrible Oregon Crime and Survivors’ Chilling Stories Foster was still there when Milner walked in, and he fled immediately.6Today. Worst Ex Ever: Justine Siemens, Benjamin Obadiah Foster Now
Siemens was rushed to a hospital in critical condition and placed on life support. Charging documents stated that Foster had “secretly confined” and “intentionally tortured” her.7NBC News. Was Oregon Kidnapping Suspect Benjamin Obadiah Foster Able to Use Dating Apps The Grants Pass police chief called it “a very serious event, a brutal assault of one of our residents.”2Forbes. The Terrifying True Story Behind Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever Foster was wanted on charges of attempted murder, kidnapping, and second-degree assault. He evaded capture for a week before dying by a self-inflicted gunshot wound during a police standoff at the same Shane Way house on January 31, 2023.8The Oregonian. He Tortured 1 and Killed 2 in Oregon as the Nation Awaited His Capture
Her Injuries and Recovery
The beating left Siemens with traumatic brain damage. She was in a coma for an extended period, and once she woke, she had to relearn how to walk and have her teeth replaced. “It’s been a long road. It’s been a lot to deal with. I’m very lucky to be alive,” she said in the Netflix docuseries. She described the ordeal itself with less restraint: “Torture is an understatement for what I went through.”6Today. Worst Ex Ever: Justine Siemens, Benjamin Obadiah Foster Now
Community Support in Grants Pass
In the weeks after the attack, Grants Pass residents organized to help with Siemens’s recovery. A GoFundMe page was set up to cover her medical costs, and a benefit event was held on April 2, 2023, at The Sound Lounge, with a silent auction and performances by four bands.9KOBI-TV NBC5. Benefit Held for Ben Foster Victim Justine Siemens
Her Story on Netflix
Siemens’s case is featured in Season 1, Episode 1 of Worst Ex Ever, titled “Dating the Devil,” which premiered on Netflix in 2024. The episode includes on-camera interviews with Siemens, her friend Angela Milner, and two women from Foster’s time in Las Vegas who publicly shared their own experiences of abuse at his hands.2Forbes. The Terrifying True Story Behind Netflix’s Worst Ex Ever10Las Vegas Review-Journal. Worst Ex Ever: Las Vegas Victims Focus of Netflix True Crime Series In the episode, Milner argues that the justice system “did a great disservice to Siemens” by failing to hold Foster accountable for his earlier crimes, which allowed him to remain free.1The Oregonian. Worst Ex Ever Hit Netflix Series Explores a Horrible Oregon Crime and Survivors’ Chilling Stories