IT was like an episode of TV drama Crime Scene Investigation -
only this was real life.
A Columbia University student, 23, was allegedly raped and tortured
for 19 hours.
Her attacker allegedly used scissors to cut her eyes, forced her to
take painkillers, and made her take a shower before dousing her
with hot water and bleach to hide his tracks.
Then he is said to have made her cut her hair, then tied her to a
futon before setting it on fire and leaving her to die.
The plucky victim managed to escape after the flames loosened her
restraints.
The attack allagedly took place on 13 Apr.
The woman was entering her New York apartment when a man approached
her and asked if she knew someone in the building.
When she said she did not, he pushed his way into her home and
choked her when she attempted to scream, reported the NY Daily
News.
SUSPECT SPOTTED
Three days after the incident, a suspect, Robert Williams, 30, was
spotted blocks from the crime scene, after seen tearing down his
own wanted poster.
A witness told the police that Williams stared at a sketch of his
own face, then tore and crumpled it and stuffed it into his
pocket.
And after Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly asked the public for
help finding the rapist, more people reported seeing Williams in
the area.
Williams also used the 23-year-old rape victim's bank card to buy a
MetroCard, a police source said yesterday.
He then allegedly broke into a vacant apartment, where he hid out
until a group of New Yorkers captured him on Thursday and held him
until the police arrived and arrested him.
The police said DNA recovered from the rape was still being
analysed.
It will be compared with samples taken from other crimes to see if
Williams is connected to other attacks.
Charges against him include an attempted murder conviction, rape,
arson, kidnapping and burglary.