Trial begins for man accused of kidnapping, sexually assaulting DoorDash driver

TAMPA, Fla. - The trial of Joseph Killins is now underway more than three years after investigators say he kidnapped and sexually assaulted a woman who was making a DoorDash delivery.

Tampa Kidnapping

What we know:

Killins faces several charges, including armed kidnapping, armed robbery, sexual battery and aggravated battery with a deadly weapon.

Investigators say the incident happened on April 18, 2023, when the victim stopped to make a delivery to a Tampa hotel.

According to investigators, Killins approached the woman with a gun and forced her to drive to the Belara Lakes apartment complex. Investigators say he sexually assaulted her there.

PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Investigators search for suspect who kidnapped, sexually battered DoorDash delivery driver in Tampa

How the Victim was Rescued

Dig deeper:

Investigators say the victim was on the phone with her girlfriend when Killins approached her.

That call became a critical part of the effort to find her.

According to investigators, the victim’s family was able to track her phone to the Belara Lakes apartments. Family members then went to the complex, found her, and rescued her.

Investigators say Killins opened fire as he fled, striking one of the rescuers.

That person survived the shooting.

The following morning, Killins allegedly attacked another woman and stole her backpack before he was arrested.

Kidnapping trial details

What they're saying:

On Tuesday, the victim testified about the graphic details of the alleged attack. She said Killins made her drive around for about two hours, before arriving at the Belara Lakes apartment complex and allegedly sexually assaulting her.

The victim testified that Killins ordered her to perform sex acts while threatening her. She says he also still had his gun at this point.

"I started telling him 'no, please don't make me do it. Don't make me do it. I don't want to do it.' And when I started saying no, to intimidate me, he tried to reach for it," she said.

Her girlfriend and the girlfriend's sister also testified on Tuesday. The victim's girlfriend testified about what she heard on the other end of the phone as the victim got out of the car to complete the delivery.

"After she was screaming, I started hearing someone saying like, 'Give me everything. Give me everything,'" she said.

While they were trying to find victim, they said they saw police officers and alerted them about what was going on, before continuing to track her.

The other side:

Killins' attorney questioned the victim's description of the suspect and how she responded to Killins allegedly telling her to drive around.

"You previously talked about looking for cop cars, right?" Killins' attorney asked the victim. 

"Yes," the victim answered. 

"And you previously said that you thought about like, trying to crash into a car, correct?" Killins' attorney continued.

"Yes," the victim answered. 

"And you saw cars, and you had those opportunities, and you didn't do that, correct? 

"Yes," the victim said again. 

The defense also asked the girlfriend why they didn't contact police sooner after rescuing the victim, but she told them that the police were on their way as they were running away from Killins. 

Courtroom outbursts

What we know:

On Tuesday, the judge had several conversations with Killins about behaving in the courtroom and not having any outbursts during the trial.

After the jury was dismissed for the day late Tuesday afternoon, Killins appeared to exchange words with the judge before he was escorted out.

The charges

Killins is facing several felony charges in connection with the incident, including:

• Armed kidnapping
• Armed robbery
• Sexual battery
• Aggravated battery with a deadly weapon

What's next:

The trial is expected to continue on Wednesday. Killins could face up to life in prison if found guilty.

TampaCrime and Public Safety