Husband Says He Loves Wife He's Accused of Kidnapping

Sanford, N.C. — A man accused of abducting a Lee County woman said love motivated him to do so, as he was being escorted from the Lee County Jail to the courthouse Wednesday night.

"I love my wife. I love my wife dearly," Raymond Scott Massa shouted of his estranged wife, Sherry Massa, 38, who was reported missing Monday after her two daughters found her car abandoned in a ditch on a rural road.

"I'm sorry, Sherry. I love you … Wait on me, and I'll do the right thing," he said. "Sherrie, you know what you told me to do: Get help. I'm going to get help."

Raymond Massa now faces two counts of assault and one count of kidnapping in connection with her disappearance. He was arrested early Wednesday evening at his mother's house in Harnett County a few hours after Sherry Massa returned home. He is scheduled to appear in court Thursday.

Sherry Massa appeared OK, Sheriff Tracy Carter said, but suffered from some minor bruises to her face.

Investigators said the two had traveled to Carolina Beach and then returned to the Fayetteville area, where Sherry Massa was able to convince her husband to let her go. She returned home in the truck that investigators said Raymond Massa was believed to be driving.

"Finally today, she talked him into saying into (letting her go)," said Ashley Massa, the couple's daughter, "saying, 'My kids, they miss me. They need me.' And finally he just let her go."

Family members said Tuesday that Raymond Massa had been distraught over the breakup of his marriage and that he desperately wanted his wife back. The couple had been separated for about two years, relatives said.

According to court records, Raymond Massa has been charged twice with assaulting his wife, most recently on Dec. 4. Sherry Massa has also taken out two domestic violence protection orders against him – one which was in place when she disappeared.

On Monday, Massa's two daughters made a public plea asking their father for their mother's release. Sherry Massa's return was welcome news for them.

"My sister called me, and I just went running to the car and got here as fast as we could," said Ashley Massa. "And she's home, and she's safe, and that's all that I wanted for Christmas and I got it."

Ashley Massa said that when they were reunited, she hugged her mother and cried.

"I'm never going to let her out of my sight again if I have to follow her to work every day," she said. "She's never leaving my sight again."

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You are a very scarey person. Do you get enjoyment out of watching people suffer? For a man who claims to love her so much, does that include your girls? If it does then do you get pleasure out of frightening them half to death? You are sick in my opinion and extremely dangerous. There is no doubt in my mind or any woman who has been through this type of thing, that if the control does not work or the lies, that you would rather see her or all of you dead. You need more than help and you are a liar. I have heard your lies before. Your children need you, their dad, not some psycho who is kidnapping their mom and scaring the life out of them. That is not a dad---that is a selfish, psycho maniac who wants to control everyones life when he can't even control his own. I hope you never get out! Your children and you ex-wife certainly deserve better than you!!!!!!!!!!

xchief661
December 22, 2006 1:56 a.m.

As a woman that has had a restraining order against a man who claimed to love her so much that he would not let anyone else have her, I never depended on that paper to protect me. It was a short cut to when I called the police for help. I know that the local police responded very fast when they got the call that someone was calling that had a reason for a restraining to be granted by a judge. They know that there was a past of some sort of abuse or threat. I suggest anyone get one if they fear for their life, but do not think it is a bullet proof vest. That piece of paper will not stop anything but maybe a ink mark on your desk top.

Me-N-Nc
December 21, 2006 4:08 p.m.

"A lot of good these restraining orders do!"

I concur...what is the point of a restraining order for a person that isn't all there mentally. I mean seriously? If a woman is beaten and goes to the police they issue a restraining order but for someone thats abusing their partner I think such measures would probably only inflame them. If only someone could come up with a better way to protect victims of domestic violence... But it also doesn't help when victims refuse to press charges!

hollylama
December 21, 2006 3:41 p.m.

Sometimes I wonder if people really read the entire stories! Namely (onceacrook).....

Snoopy
December 21, 2006 1:24 p.m.

To onceacrook -at- gmail -dot- co Yep-You're right! What's askew here is that her husband has a record of being a crazy bully who partook of the perversion of hurting his loved ones. She had two restraining orders against him which means that there was enough probable cause to issue them, and not only was her car in the ditch and still running, the window was broken indicating foul play. Thank God for two things; that she's home safe and sound with her children and that her husband is no longer on the loose and able to hurt any of them. Praise Praise God!!!

spiritwarriorwoman
December 21, 2006 11:55 a.m.