Prosecutors are expected to connect a revolver, restraints and tools to threats described by a woman rescued on Interstate 41.
MILWAUKEE, Wis. — A search of a car stopped on Interstate 41 uncovered a gun, handcuffs, a hacksaw, a tarp, restraints and other items that authorities say followed an armed abduction and threats against a woman on May 29.
The items may become some of the most closely examined evidence in the prosecution of Angelo Liberto, a 22-year-old Franklin man who has pleaded not guilty to attempted second-degree sexual assault, kidnapping and false imprisonment. Prosecutors say he lured the woman into the rear seat for a supposed surprise, restrained her and began driving toward a lake house before her hidden 911 call brought deputies to the vehicle.
Investigators reported finding a Colt Python .357 Magnum revolver, a pocketknife and handcuffs where at least some of them could be seen during the traffic stop. A wider search produced duct tape, a handgun case, a hacksaw, a tarp, bondage restraints, a hogtie kit, gloves and headlamps, according to the criminal complaint. Authorities also listed an unopened 10-foot length of chain, a shovel and a 36-inch gooseneck wrecking bar. The inventory continued with hydrogen peroxide, an unknown clear and odorless liquid, condoms, lubricant, erectile dysfunction medication and an unopened package of women’s underwear. Police have not publicly released photographs of the complete layout or explained where every object was stored.
The presence of a long list of objects does not by itself establish why they were in the car. Prosecutors must connect them to alleged conduct, statements or preparations. The defense can argue that tools and supplies may have ordinary uses and challenge descriptions such as “hogtie kit” if that wording does not match a product label or established forensic term. No public report states that fingerprints, DNA, blood or other biological evidence was found on the equipment. Authorities also have not disclosed laboratory results for the unknown liquid or said whether the revolver was loaded.
Prosecutors are likely to place the inventory beside the woman’s account of the drive. She said Liberto told her he intended to take her to a lake house about four hours away, keep her there for several days and sexually assault her. He allegedly spoke about people killing others after committing crimes because they feared being caught. The complaint says he told her, “We are at the point of no return.” A tarp, restraints, chain, cleaning chemical and digging tools could be presented as consistent with advance preparation, but a jury would have to decide what conclusions, if any, can fairly be drawn from them.
The confrontation began with objects that appeared less threatening. When Liberto arrived to pick up the woman for a planned visit to a bar, she saw chocolates and lotion in the back seat. She tried to enter the front passenger side, but he told her another surprise was waiting in the rear and asked her to sit there. After driving away, Liberto allegedly pulled over at an unidentified place and said she should have been scared. He then produced the revolver, according to the complaint. The change from gifts to a firearm is a key part of the prosecution’s claim that the invitation was used to place her in a controlled position.
Liberto demanded the woman’s phone and later sought its password, investigators said. She refused to surrender the device unless he put down the gun and tried to wrestle the revolver away. The complaint says she managed to take it from him, but rear child-safety locks prevented her from opening a door. Liberto then allegedly held the knife aggressively and ordered her to put on handcuffs positioned near the back-seat door. She complied while restrained by the vehicle and threatened with the blade.
Once Liberto entered the freeway, the phone became both evidence and the woman’s means of escape. She attempted to call 911 several times, but the device was in airplane mode. She eventually disabled the setting or otherwise restored service and reached dispatchers. She also tried to call her mother and a friend. Investigators can seek call records, device data and location information to confirm when those attempts occurred. The public reports do not say whether Liberto handled the phone, whether he deleted information or whether forensic examiners recovered messages and search histories from either person’s device.
A deputy spotted the car shortly after 11 p.m. and stopped it on I-41, according to complaint summaries. Officers freed the woman and arrested Liberto. A later police response was reported about 5:30 a.m. May 30 near northbound mile marker 75. The available accounts do not give a complete minute-by-minute sequence, but they place the rescue before detectives conducted a fuller interview and evidence review. Liberto was reported booked May 31.
The woman’s description gave investigators a possible reason for the restraints and other items. She said Liberto accused her of dating other people and lying to him. He moved between insults and statements about her being perfect, according to the complaint. He allegedly told her he would use her as she had used him. When she directly asked whether he planned to rape her, he said yes, investigators reported. He refused to unlock the handcuffs while continuing toward the alleged destination.
Whether that destination existed remains publicly unanswered. The complaint does not identify an address, owner or county for the lake house. Authorities have not said whether they searched property connected to Liberto, checked navigation data or found a route programmed into the car or a phone. The claim that the location was four hours away could have been a true description, a threat or an attempt to frighten the woman. Establishing access to a real property could strengthen the preparation theory; the absence of such proof would not erase the alleged confinement but could affect how jurors view the stated plan.
The history between the two provides additional context for how prosecutors may describe intent. The woman said they met through mutual friends in September 2025 and went on a few dates. She told detectives she made clear several times that she did not want a relationship and wanted only friendship. Liberto complained that she would not let him kiss her or hold her hand, the complaint says. Several days before May 29, he allegedly appeared outside her home without warning at 1 a.m. and said he had a surprise. She told him to leave and later wrote that he had again crossed boundaries.
During the drive, Liberto also allegedly admitted that he had vandalized the woman’s vehicle in the past. That statement, if supported by damage reports, messages or other records, could allow prosecutors to describe a pattern of conduct rather than an argument that suddenly became violent. The defense may challenge whether the statement was accurately heard, whether the damage was ever reported and whether evidence of an earlier event is legally relevant to the charged offenses. Judges often decide such issues before trial because evidence about uncharged conduct can carry a risk of unfair prejudice.
Legal disputes may also focus on the search. Objects visible to an officer during a lawful traffic stop can help establish grounds for further action. A broader vehicle search may depend on consent, a warrant, probable cause or another recognized exception. Public reports do not identify the precise legal basis used for each stage. Defense lawyers can request reports, body-camera footage, photographs and warrant materials, then ask a judge to exclude evidence if they believe officers violated constitutional protections.
Liberto pleaded not guilty June 16. Defense attorney Chris Carson said his client denied the woman’s allegations and reminded reporters that an accusation was not proof. Prosecutors must establish every element beyond a reasonable doubt, including confinement or movement without consent and the alleged attempted sexual assault. The dangerous-weapon allegations could affect the available punishment if Liberto is convicted.
Bond reports have varied. Liberto was first described as held on $200,000 cash bond. Reports from a June hearing said a judge raised the amount to $2 million after prosecutors described a cellmate’s claim that Liberto discussed harming the woman again. FOX6 later cited records showing $200,000 on June 16. The public reports reviewed for this article do not resolve that difference.
The car, its electronic records and the objects collected from it are expected to remain central as prosecutors attempt to prove planning and the defense tests whether the inventory supports the meanings assigned to it.
Author note: Last updated July 10, 2026.