6 charged in abduction of 2 college students are arraigned

Published Dec. 8, 2015 11:18 a.m. ET

foxsports

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (AP) Six people have been arraigned on kidnapping charges in the abduction of two New York college students. But authorities have yet to reveal a possible motive for the 40-hour ordeal, during which one victim was shot in the leg.

Lydell Strickland, Dennis Perez and Leah Gigliotti, all of Rochester, and Samantha Hughes, of Pittsford, pleaded not guilty to first-degree kidnapping on Tuesday in City Court. Inalia Rolldan and Ruth Lora, both of Rochester, pleaded not guilty to second-degree kidnapping.

Only Strickland was assigned a public defender. The others are expected to be assigned or retain lawyers this week.

Criminal complaints say Nicholas Kollias and Ani Okeke Ewo, both University of Rochester seniors from Illinois, were repeatedly beaten while forcibly restrained for more than 40 hours beginning Saturday. Kollias was shot with a rifle.