A North Carolina man accused of kidnapping a missing woman and holding her captive for nearly five months is now facing a staggering array of charges, including multiple counts of rape, according to court records in Buncombe and Haywood counties.
Winston Aaron Eccleston, 26, was originally arrested in May after the woman — who had vanished in January — was found safe. But investigators say what unfolded during her months-long disappearance was far more disturbing than anyone initially understood.
The woman told detectives she accepted a ride from Eccleston in Asheville and was instead taken to an RV park in Waynesville. There, she alleges, she was physically restrained with chains, locked inside wooden and metal boxes, and subjected to repeated sexual assaults.
Court documents detail horrific conditions: dogs kept in feces-filled cages, weapons strewn throughout the camper, and surveillance equipment pointed directly at the space where the woman was allegedly held. Investigators say they discovered firearms with altered serial numbers, handcuffs, zip ties, a whip, and even a carpet-lined truck toolbox that smelled of human waste and contained socks, blankets, and a chain — all items consistent with the woman’s story.
Eccleston now faces the following additional charges from Haywood County: two counts of first-degree kidnapping, 12 counts of first-degree forcible rape, and multiple firearms violations. Maggie Valley Police also charged him with another count of kidnapping and one of second-degree forcible rape. He had already been charged with kidnapping in Buncombe County earlier this year.
Perhaps most bizarrely, the woman told authorities that during her captivity, Eccleston occasionally brought her out in public. In one instance, he allegedly took her to dinner at Applebee’s with his father. In another, he reportedly moved her between locations by hiding her in a trash can on the back of a utility cart. Search warrants suggest the father, Stephen Eccleston, may have known about the victim’s captivity — though he has not been charged with a crime.
Despite brief glimpses of normalcy, authorities say Eccleston kept the woman under constant threat and surveillance. He remains in custody at the Haywood County Detention Center without bond. His next court appearance is scheduled for September 15.
The victim’s mother, whose name has not been released, is also facing unrelated charges of child neglect in Western North Carolina. That case is still pending.
This deeply disturbing case has shocked communities in Buncombe and Haywood counties — and investigators say more charges may be forthcoming.
