BELLINGHAM, Wash. — Bellingham Police Department issued a statement today, Friday, May 9, 2025, regarding an investigation that followed a “witnessed kidnapping” on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
Earlier this week on Monday, May 4th (sic) just past 1:00 a.m., BPD patrol was called to a witnessed kidnapping. The suspect literally pulled a woman into a van at gunpoint in front of witnesses. Another suspect in the van assisted with the kidnapping. The initial investigation showed the kidnapper was angry with the woman, threatened her and eventually showed up and dragged her into his van and drove off. Fortunately, she was able to escape, unharmed, a couple of hours later.
A Whatcom County Sheriff’s Office Deputy, assisting BPD Patrol found the abandoned van a few hours later and a warrant to process the van for latent fingerprints was obtained. The prints lifted led to the identification of the unknown second suspect.
For the next 16 hours, BPD patrol officers, CSIs and detectives worked the case and were able to develop leads to assist in locating the suspects. Detectives and Agents from the Skagit County Sheriff’s Office and FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation, respectively assisted BPD Investigations Division in locating the suspects at Cornwall Park just after 8:00 p.m. BPD SWAT Team members were on a training day and were pressed into service for this apprehension. Using multiple cars and BPD’s armored rescue vehicle as a safety platform, a traffic stop happened in Cornwall Park.
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Click for more informationThe suspect was in the car and refused to comply with commands and pulled out a handgun from a pack he was wearing. Despite multiple clear warnings to drop the gun and that he was under arrest, the suspect refused to comply and fled on foot. As he fled, officers deployed drag stabilized flexible batons to attempt to gain compliance. While the suspect dropped the gun, he continued to flee. Police Service Dog Rudy was sent in to assist in the apprehension of the fleeing suspect. PSD Rudy easily caught up to him, knocked him to the ground, and waited for his handler and the rest of the team to handcuff the suspect. That was done without further incident and he was provided medical care immediately by the SWAT Team Tactical Medics from Bellingham Fire Department. He had to get further medical attention his non-life-threatening injuries and will be booked when released.
– Bellingham Police Department (May 9, 2025)
Margaret George Bespalova, age 28, was booked into the Whatcom County Jail on Monday, May 5, 2025. She is currently facing a charge of 1st-degree kidnapping in Whatcom County Superior Court. As of today, she remained in custody at the jail pending being able to post a $50,000 bond or $5,000 cash bail.
The Bellingham Police incident log indicates 2 persons were arrested subsequent to an incident of unlawful imprisonment in the 2000 block of Fraser Street at 1:09am on Sunday, May 4, 2025. The persons reported to have been arrested Bespalova and Christopher William Zvara, age 27.
At about 3:10pm today, Zvara was booked into the Whatcom County Jail charged with suspicion of the following criminal charges.
- unlawful possession of a firearm
- altered ID mark on a firearm
- 2 counts of 2nd-degree assault
- 1st-degree kidnapping
- obstructing a police officer
Bail, if any, will be set at a preliminary court hearing.
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Hold without bond. These people are a danger to the person they kidnapped. Letting them out on bond makes zero sense if our society is to remain safe from violent offenders.
Excellent police work! But yet once again sabotaged by ridiculously effete and gutless court follow through: Just a measly $50k bail, which is just a $5k cash bond (!) for ARMED kidnapping?? Absurd! This is what’s horribly broken in our criminal justice (non-) system.
If – and it’s a big IF – these violent criminals actually show up at their trial (which probably won’t even be scheduled for YEARS) and get convicted, we will also likely see some bleeding-heart judge sentence them to minimal incarceration or even just probation (maybe even justifying it on jail over-crowding). So where’s the accountability?? Where’s the deterrent?
Crooks are so enabled by this failed court system. Just commit whatever you want (so long as the victims are not celebrities or super pretty) and be assured that, if even caught, at most you’ll get just a slap on the wrist… Just don’t flee or try to fight back with the police, because that’s too much risk of getting shot or maimed. Go contritely and the eventual consequences will be minimal. What a winning formula for lawlessness!!
Good dog Rudy!!!
Lock these two low life’s up, and throw away the key.