Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police detectives are being credited with saving the life of a woman they said was held captive in a north Charlotte home after being beaten and raped.
CMPD Lt. Susan Manassah said the investigation began as a reported missing persons case on March 26.
During the course of the investigation, detectives feared foul play may be involved and were able to develop the first name of a possible suspect and his street address. They were able to find the victim’s car on March 27 at that suspect's home and knocked on the door.
Suspect Jamuel Alston, who had recently dated the victim, answered the door.
Manassah said that while speaking with Alston, detectives were able to get him to let them inside and that's when they found the victim, who was severely beaten and being held captive in a back room.
Manassah said the woman was beaten to the point of death.
"The condition of her, I looked at the photos – I can deal with dead people all day long. You show me a live person suffering, and that rips right through my soul because that shouldn't happen to any human being," Manassah said.
The woman was taken to the hospital, where officials said she was recovering. Manassah said if not for the quick thinking of the detectives, the victim likely would not have survived.
“We find her and you know what she does? She mouths to them, ‘Thank you.’ She knows the fact that these guys saved her life,” Manassah said.
Police arrested Alston, 35, and charged him with attempted first-degree murder, assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill inflicting serious injury, three counts of first-degree forcible rape, first-degree kidnapping and possession of a firearm by a felon.
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