A woman buried alive by her estranged husband managed to escape the shallow grave, police have revealed.
Chae Kyong An, 53, was arrested after his shaken ex-wife was found by Thurston County Sheriff’s deputy hiding behind a shed shortly just before 1am on Monday in Washington.
She screamed to the officer: "My husband is trying to kill me" as court documents revealed "she had duct tape still wrapped around her neck, lower face and ankles.
"There was extensive bruising to her legs, arms and head and her clothing and hair were covered in dirt.”
Mr An has been arrested on suspicion of first-degree attempted murder, first-degree kidnapping and first-degree assault after the terrifying assault.
He was held in county jail on Tuesday and during a preliminary hearing on Wednesday a judge allowed the prosecutor's request to keep him without bail.
Thurston County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office confirmed the 53-year-old has not been formally charged yet.
Cops were called to Lacey, 60 miles of Seattle, on Sunday afternoon to the woman's house as a 911 call heard a woman "screaming" after revealing it sounded like she had been "gagged".
Police arrived to the scene after the woman banged on the door of a local resident and pleaded for help.
In an interview with police, she told them she was assaulted in her home after a discussion with her husband about their divorce money.
After becoming furious with the woman, Mr An decided to tie his wife's hands behind her back with duct tape.
He then proceeded to duct-tape her eyes, thighs and ankles according to court documents.
The woman revealed to police she was only able to call 911 after Apple watch sent an emergency notification when Mr An departed the bedroom.
After returning back to the bedroom, he dragged the woman into the garage and smashed up her Apple watch with a hammer.
The Lacey Police Department revealed the woman had already taken out a violence protection order against her husband.
Police have security footage from the woman's neighbour which shows Mr An driving his van into her garage and then taking off with her.
Mr An kidnapped the woman and drove her into the woods where he tried to bury her.
She revealed she could hear her husband digging the grave.
The woman alleges he stabbed her in the chest and pushed her to the ground after placing a heavy tree on top of her grave.
Several hours later she managed to escape after wriggling around trying to keep dirt off her face as the woman was able to remove the duct tape.
She managed to walk half an hour through the woods to a house where she asked locals for help.
The woman was taken to hospital for treatment of non-life threatening injuries.
He was arrested hours later after a hiker identified his van while out on a walk.
