TAMPA –
After a door-to-door salesman for a security alarm company was arrested and charged with raping a woman who opened her door to him Friday night, deputies say he made a chilling statement.
Rashad Hales, 19, 4019 E. Grove St., told deputies his only regret was not killing the victim, said Larry McKinnon, spokesman for the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office.
Given the “brazen nature” of his comment, investigators want to know if there are other victims, McKinnon said.
“We are asking the public now if anyone knows this guy, had contact with him or is a victim, to come forward,” he said. “This very courageous woman maintained her strength enough to catch this guy, and hopefully, if there are other women out there who have kept a secret out of fear, they, too, now will come forward.”
Hales was going door-to-door in northwest Hillsborough for Secure Watch, which is an authorized dealer for ADT, McKinnon said.
Secure Watch officials are expected to review the routes Hales worked to see whether there other potential victims, McKinnon said.
Leon Smith, a salesman who answered the phone at Secure Watch’s sales office, said he did not know about the incident and was not in a position to comment. An email to the corporate headquarters was not immediately answered.
According to deputies:
Hales knocked on the door of the victim’s home about 5:50 p.m. and tried to sell her a security system. The woman told Hales her fiancé makes those decisions and he was at a friend’s home.
Hales returned five to 10 minutes later and told the woman that he had spoken with her fiancé about signing up. When the victim tried to close the door, Hales grabbed her wrist and forced his way inside the home.
The victim told deputies that he beat and choked her with his hands and an electrical cord. During the beating, Hales told her he should kill her, she told deputies.
He forced the victim to a bedroom, where he raped her. The victim told investigators that Hales then took her to the kitchen and held a knife to her throat, threatening to kill her if she told anyone.
He then left with the victim’s cellphone.
A short time later, the victim’s boyfriend came home and called authorities. After deputies arrived and set up a search, Hales was spotted running, and deputies chased him to a gasoline station at 11203 Sheldon Road.
Hales jumped into the security company’s van and told co-workers that police were chasing him, McKinnon said. . The co-workers blocked Hales from leaving, allowing deputies to arrest him.
During an interview, Hales told deputies he didn’t kill the victim because he thought she would not tell anyone, McKinnon said.
Along with the sexual-battery charge, Hales is charged with attempted first-degree murder, kidnapping, armed burglary with battery and depriving a victim of the ability to call 911.
The victim was treated at a hospital and released. Her name and address are being withheld due to the nature of the allegations.
(813) 259-5800
Article source: http://www2.tbo.com/news/news/2011/dec/31/1/security-salesman-charged-with-raping-woman-ar-342391/
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