A Carson City man was in critical condition Friday after he was abducted by two men at gunpoint late Thursday night then left stabbed and his throat slashed in the Brunswick Canyon area.
Investigators are searching for the men who fled in a gray 2008 Chevy Cobalt with Nevada plates 236UWY.
The 41-year-old victim, whose name is being withheld by investigators, said he was at home about 11 p.m. when there was a knock at the door.
When he answered, two men posing as pizza delivery drivers pushed their way into the Edmonds Drive apartment and held a knife to the man's throat.
"They said they were the Tijuana Cartel, and he messed up in Tijuana and he was gonna pay for it," said Carson City Sheriff's Detective Craig Lowe. "The victim told them they had the wrong guy."
When the victim's girlfriend asked what he did, the men called her by her name, held a knife to her and told her someone was coming back for her.
"They said 'We know everything about you. We've been watching you,'" said Lowe.
Lowe said the kidnappers then took the keys to the girlfriend's rental car and fled with the victim onto Highway 50 East, then Deer Run Road. After driving on a dirt road for about 15 minutes, the victim was forced out of the vehicle and beaten.
Lowe said the men told the victim, "We've been paid to deal with you."
After forcing the victim to kneel, one of the men stomped on the victim's head and stabbed him several times in the stomach, side and back, then slashed his throat with a hunting knife.
Sometime later they slashed his throat a second time. Both wounds were not deep enough to be life threatening, said Lowe.
"He thought he was going to die," Lowe said.
As the victim was forced to walk up a hill, he was hit from behind with an unknown object and knocked unconscious.
He later regained consciousness and walked toward lights where passersby spotted him "waving and staggering," and covered in blood about 1:30 a.m. on Deer Run Road.
Lowe said the situation could be drug related.
The men spoke only Spanish during the incident, said Lowe. One is described as in his 30s, the other in his 40s and dressed as "gang members."
Lowe said the victim denies being involved with the Tijuana Cartel.
Anyone with information is asked to call Lowe at 887-2020 ext. 1400.
• Contact reporter F.T. Norton at ftnorton@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1213.