Rape suspect in violent D.C. attacks allegedly gave phone number to victim
By Darcy Spencer, NBCWashington.com
Police in Washington D.C. arrested a suspect in two violent attacks after he gave his name and number to the second victim, according to court documents.
DeMarco Myles, 19, wrote down his first name and cell phone number for a 19-year-old Howard University student after he allegedly raped her in her room at Bethune annex, an all-women’s dorm, Friday afternoon. Police tracked the number to a Fourth Street NW address where Myles lives with his mother and arrested him.
The first attack took place in a Rhode Island Row apartment Oct. 26 in Northeast D.C. The victim, a 24-year-old consultant, was working from home when she got a knock at the door about 2 p.m. by a man who said he was promoting a party. He forced his way in to her apartment before allegedly trying to kill her. She said she screamed at the top of her lungs and fought back as he kicked and beat her and stabbed her at least 25 times.
The Howard student told police the suspect appeared in her room and made casual conversation about 1:15 p.m. Friday, one week after the first attack. She told him to get out, but he didn’t. She began texting a friend, and the suspect pulled out brass knuckles with a purple blade, grabbed the victim’s phone, texted the victim’s friend and then raped the victim, according to court documents. Then he allegedly wrote the note, saying, “Since you don’t know me, here’s my number.” He tried to cross out the phone number, according to court documents, but detectives were able to read it.
A man matching Myles’s description entered other rooms at Bethune but left when asked, detectives learned.
Myles told detectives that the sex with the Howard student was consensual, but he admitted forcing his way in to the Rhode Island Row apartment and stabbing her after she resisted, according to court documents. He asked detectives if she survived, saying he didn't mean to kill anyone.
In each attack, the suspect managed to get past several layers of security. At Howard, that included locked doors and a sign-in process. At Rhode Island Row, you need a key card for the front door, a key card for the elevator and a key card for the apartment.
Howard is investigating how the man gained entry to the dorm:
The safety of our campus community is paramount; we have consistently enhanced security and have taken additional steps to bolster security in residence halls. A security team is providing a visible 24-hour presence in all residence halls.
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