He’d been on the run since last Friday, was hiding in a hotel

Aug 16, 2014 06:21 GMT  ·  By
War Machine nearly killed estranged girlfriend Christy Mack in brutal attack at her home
   War Machine nearly killed estranged girlfriend Christy Mack in brutal attack at her home

MMA fighter Jon Koppenhaver, who legally changed his name to War Machine some time ago, has been captured by police outside of Los Angeles. He had been on the run for a little over a week, after beating his girlfriend Christy Mack to a bloody pulp in her Las Vegas home.

It is believed that the fighter attacked Mack in a fit of jealousy, after finding her at home with another man, identified in the press as Corey Thomas, her new boyfriend.

Whilst on the run, War Machine took to Twitter to explain why he would not turn himself in, saying that he was certain he would not be treated fairly by the police after what he’d done to Mack. In his “defense,” he claimed that she and the other man attacked him first, so he had to “fight for [his] life.”

He also said that he had stopped by Mack’s house to surprise her with an engagement ring, and lamented the cruelty of his fate, saying he was “cursed,” but at the same time, positive that “the truth would come out” one day.

In response to his claims, Mack, a famous adult star, released gruesome photos of the injuries she sustained in the attack, together with a statement saying that they had been broken up since May, so he had no right to be at her house. That may not be entirely true, because they were still posting photos on social media from the house they shared at the end of July.

Whichever might be the case, the bottom line is that War Machine had to answer for his brutal attack. No less than 7 arrest warrants had been issued in his name and even Dog the Bounty Hunter had joined the search for him. A $20,000 (€14,927) reward was also offered to whomever could provide information on the fighter’s whereabouts.

TMZ says that Dog wasn’t there when he was captured, because he was at the fighter’s home in San Diego.

“He was caught by U.S. Marshals and Simi Valley police, and we're told he did not put up a fight. The fugitive MMA fighter was sitting in the hotel room with a pizza and a small amount of cash. […] He's been taken to Ventura County jail,” the celebrity publication reports.

“Cops went to War Machine's home in the San Diego area this morning to remove two of his exotic snakes. According to an officer, Dog the Bounty Hunter was also there,” adds the same media outlet.

Because War Machine has a history of violence, has been arrested several times for assault, and even did some time behind bars, it’s very unlikely that he will be released on bail.

Mack is still in the hospital, where she’s recovering from the attack that nearly killed her. She has 18 broken bones in her face, a ruptured liver, a broken rib, her nose broken in a couple of places, various broken and missing teeth, and an injured leg.