ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Thursday, April 24, 1997 TAG: 9704240043
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DIANE STRUZZI THE ROANOKE TIMES
A detective suspects one man committed the attacks at the adjoining Southwest Roanoke County apartments, The Mews and Sans Souci.
A man posing as a maintenance worker sexually assaulted a 20-year-old woman at knifepoint late Tuesday. The assault is the second in two months at a South Roanoke County apartment complex, but the first that police have told the public about.
On Wednesday, police linked the two cases. In each, the suspect held his victim at knifepoint and threatened her if she called police.
Capt. Ray Lavinder said information about the first assault was not released to the public because of a breakdown in communication between the police and the media.
Last summer, Roanoke County investigators waited two months before telling the public that a boy had been sexually assaulted while camping on the Appalachian Trail. Police said they didn't release information about that crime earlier because they had a lead on a suspect. To date, they have not made an arrest.
The most recent sexual assaults in Southwest Roanoke County took place at The Mews and Sans Souci apartments, neighboring complexes off Garst Mill Road.
Shortly after 11 p.m. on March 8, a woman at The Mews Apartments was awakened by a man fondling her. The woman's granddaughter also was in bed with her, but was not attacked. Police said the girl saw the man holding a knife on her grandmother.
Investigators believe the man entered the ground-floor apartment through a sliding glass door. But it was not clear if the door had been left open or locked.
The man threatened to return if the woman called police.
About 10 p.m. Tuesday, a woman answered a knock at her door at Sans Souci Apartments at 4301 Garst Mill. A man in a blue T-shirt and dark-blue jeans said there was a problem in the area, possibly a gas leak, and he needed to check her apartment for any damage. Once inside, he grabbed her, forced her into the bedroom and sexually assaulted her. The man threatened to kill her if she called police.
Management at The Mews and Sans Souci did not return telephone calls for this story. A property manager contacted Wednesday morning said she was unaware of Tuesday's incident.
Roanoke County Supervisor Lee Eddy, who represents the neighborhood where the assaults occurred, said he thought it was within police discretion to withhold information about crimes from the public.
"I think it's primarily a decision the Police Department has to make," Eddy said. Police need to determine whether it's an isolated incident or a pattern "before alarming the public," he said.
Roanoke County Detective Debbie Hogan, who specializes in violent crimes against women and is investigating the assaults, said she believes they were committed by the same man.
Hogan and other investigators advise residents to:
Check who is on the other side of the door before opening it.
Don't open doors to any stranger.
Ask any worker to display an identification card before allowing him to enter a home.
If there is a question about why a worker is there, call the utility company or apartment complex management office before allowing the person inside.
Police ask anyone with information about these crimes to contact Detective Debbie Hogan at 561-8099.
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