Simi Man Held in Kidnaping, Beating of Friend

A Simi Valley man has been arrested on suspicion of kidnaping, robbing and beating a friend in a dispute over who owned a ring, Simi Valley police said Friday.

Randy Williamson, 29, was arrested Thursday at his home, where police found some of the $3,000 in jewelry he allegedly took late Wednesday from Richard Martini, 36, of Simi Valley, Lt. Jon Ainsworth said.

Williamson and Martini had dinner that night at Williamson’s house, after quarreling earlier that day over who owned the ring, Ainsworth said. Later, Williamson and a third, unidentified man drove Martini against his will to the hills north of the Simi Valley Freeway, where the two men beat and robbed him of the jewelry, including the disputed ring, the lieutenant said.

Martini was treated at a local hospital for bruised ribs and a broken nose and jaw, Ainsworth said.

Williamson was being held in the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department’s East Valley Station in lieu of $20,000 bail, according to the Sheriff’s Department.

Police still were trying to identify the other alleged attacker, Ainsworth said.