Jersey Mike's Bathroom Note Exposes Abuse, Captivity
It started with a crumpled piece of paper.
Tucked near a toilet paper dispenser inside a Florida sandwich shop bathroom, a desperate handwritten plea led to the arrest of 34-year-old Jordan Williams — a professional wrestler who performs under the name "Jayden Steele." What began as an ordinary workday for a Jersey Mike's employee ended with a life potentially saved — and a man charged with multiple serious crimes.
A Hidden Cry for Help
On May 27, an employee at a Jersey Mike's Subs in Navarre, Florida, noticed what looked like trash on the bathroom floor. Upon closer inspection, the worker found a note that said, "Please help me. I'm at this address in Navarre. I need you to call the police and do a wellness check," according to the New York Post. The note also warned, "Let cops know don't approach the house unless my Hyundai Kona is in the driveway because his parents will alert him and he will hurt me ... I just want to get home to my kids and family ... He controls my phone so he will know (if you message me)."
Within 20 minutes, employees contacted law enforcement, who traced the address listed in the message.
What Deputies Discovered
When deputies from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office arrived at the Navarre apartment, they found a 29-year-old woman with visible injuries. Court documents noted a black eye, possible broken bones, and head trauma.
She was transported to a local hospital for immediate treatment.
The woman told authorities she had been held against her will for six to eight months. During that time, she alleged Williams repeatedly assaulted her and isolated her from family and friends.
According to the arrest report, she described three specific incidents within the last three months, including one where Williams allegedly held a knife to her throat and another where he punched her in the face.
She claimed he choked her, slammed her to the ground, and knelt on her back during one of the attacks.
Deputies said she also reported prior abuse, including an incident where she was allegedly tied to a bed for two days, urinated on, and had tobacco spit into her mouth.
Charges Filed
Jordan Williams was arrested at the residence and booked into the Santa Rosa County Jail the same day. He was charged with aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, felony kidnapping, felony and misdemeanor battery, false imprisonment, and battery by strangulation.
As of June 9, he remains in custody without bond and has pleaded not guilty.
According to Chief Deputy Randy Tifft of the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, this was the third domestic violence incident reported involving Williams and the alleged victim.
Who Is Jordan Williams?
Williams is known in the Florida wrestling circuit as "Jayden Steele," a performer with a growing presence in the independent pro wrestling community. At the time of his arrest, he was identified by surveillance footage from the Jersey Mike's location.
Neighbors told police that they were unaware of any disturbance, though the residence had been the subject of at least two prior domestic violence calls.
The case has sparked conversations online and among advocates for survivors of domestic abuse, many of whom praised the quick thinking of the sandwich shop employees who contacted law enforcement.
An Ongoing Case
As this investigation unfolds, authorities continue to collect evidence. Court documents describe a pattern of coercive control, surveillance, and intimidation that allegedly kept the victim from escaping sooner.
The sheriff's office credited the note — and the bravery it took to write it — with saving a life.
References: How a Cry for Help Hidden in a Jersey Mike’s Subs Bathroom Led to Woman's Rescue After Months in Captivity | Professional Wrestler Charged with Kidnapping After Chilling Note Left at Sandwich Shop: 'He Will Hurt Me' | Wrestler Accused of Holding Woman Captive After Note Found at Jersey Mike's
