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Last updated on Monday, September 8, 2014
(EVANSVILLE) - The suspects taken into custody on preliminary charges of the criminal confinement and rape of missing mother Joelle Lockwood are 37-year-old Ricky Roy House Jr. and 44-year-old Kendra Tooley.
Lockwood was found safe Saturday night in Posey County.
Authorities are saying she was held captive under terrible conditions.
She was taken to the hospital briefly Saturday night and then released to go home.
Posey County Sheriff Greg Oeth tells us they think they found the cage where Joelle had been kept in the house.
Oeth tells us, with the help of Evansville Police, they were able to enter this mobile home and arrest the two suspects.
Oeth says there was actually another man who became aware Joelle was being held there and saved her from the home.
"He took it upon himself to get her out of the residence and took her back to Evansville," says Oeth. "Once there, he contacted authorities there. She's going to be returned to her family so we're very, very happy of the outcome from those circumstances."
Ron Higgs, the man who saved Lockwood, says he wasn't sure who she was until she told him she didn't want to be there.
He says several times guns were pointed at him as he worked to rescue Joelle from the mobile home.
Higgs says on Thursday, he got a call from his ex-wife, Kendra Tooley, asking him for some help financially.
He says he initially did not want to go to help her and her boyfriend Ricky House but says something was telling him to go.
Higgs says he arrived to the suspects' trailer Thursday afternoon planning on staying at the residence for a couple nights.
After helping Ricky House run some errands he was shown the cage where Joelle Lockwood had been held captive.
She had a t-shirt on, and that was it," says Higgs. "She had a leather belt, like a dog collar on. Every night, they locked her in there. No food, no water."
He says she was forced to cook and clean by both House and Higg's ex-wife Kendra Tooley.
Higgs says at first he didn't understand anything about the situation.
"That's when she told me on the second night with tears running down her eyes, 'please, do not leave here with out me,'" says Higgs. "And I promised her, if I have to give my life to get you out of here I will."
Higgs says he spent most of Friday thinking of ways to try and free Joelle from the two.
At one point he says he even offered to buy her from Tooley and House.
Finally, Higgs says he made up a story to let Joelle leave with him.
Higgs says many people have asked him why he didn't take Joelle straight to police.
He tells us she asked him to let her call her mom and let her know she was ok before calling police.
"Everybody's calling me a hero," says Higgs. "I'm just a pure bred American that believes in freedom."
Oeth says with the amount of searching over the past two months, finding Joelle has been relieving to him.
We're told House and Tooley's initial court appearance is scheduled for September 8.
Friends and family of Joelle are just happy to have her safe and back at home.
We spoke to Joelle's mother, Candace, on Sunday and she says emotions are running high.
Everyone is exhausted but thrilled to have Joelle home.
Candace tells me both she and her daughter spent the day re-connecting with Joelle's two children.
Candace says it's a happy time for her family but she says there is still much for them to work through in the aftermath of the rescue.
Amanda Crowe is close friends with Joelle and she says she is still in shock.
She says, when she got the phone call from Candace telling her that Joelle had been found her heart sunk.
She didn't think she was alive and Amanda says it is time for recovery and to say thanks to all of those who have helped in the search.
"I just really want to say thank you to everyone who has supported us and has supported Joelle's family," says Crowe. "It means the world to all of us that the community has come out and has helped to find her."
Joelle went missing back on July 9th.
She was last seen walking at the intersection of Park and Florida Streets.
There were numerous searches for her, both in Indiana and Illinois.
Officials are still investigating but we will be sure to keep you updated on all of the latest details.
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