Police hope victim's cell phone will help capture church rapist
A man accused of raping a 53-year-old woman inside a Stone Mountain church last month remains at large, but police are hoping the suspect's decision to peddle a stolen cell phone will lead to his arrest.
According to DeKalb police, the suspect raped the woman, stole her cell phone and hours later sold it at Underground Atlanta to another man. The assault, at St. Timothy United Methodist Church, occurred around 3:30 p.m. Feb. 26.
"Anyone near Underground Atlanta on the same date between the hours of 4 and 6 p.m. is encouraged to call if they witnessed a person ... attempting to peddle a cell phone," a police statement read. Police have recovered the phone.
The suspect is described by police as a middle-aged black man about 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds. According to detectives, he forced his way inside the church, located in the 5300 block of Memorial Drive, and assaulted the victim, a church employee.
Anyone with information regarding this case is asked to contact Crime Stoppers Atlanta at 404-557-8477. Callers who provide information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward.
About the Author
A native Atlantan, Boone joined the AJC staff in 2007. He quickly carved out a niche covering crime stories, assuming the public safety beat in 2014. He's covered some of the biggest trials this decade, from Hemy Neuman to Ross Harris to Chip Olsen, the latter of which was featured on Season 7 of the AJC's award-winning "Breakdown" podcast.
