If he comes in my house can I kill him?

Leon County Sheriff Jerry Wakefield led the county-wide community meeting at the Courthouse on Monday night. Sherry’s Shots More than 200 frightened and concerned citizens crowded into the courtroom of the newly renovated Leon County Courthouse on Monday night, November 2, 2009. Four television stations and multiple newspaper reporters were on hand to provide an account of the meeting to those who could not attend. The Leon County Sheriff’s Office called the county-wide community meeting late last week in response to the third break-in and assault on elderly women in Leon County. Similar attacks have been reported in Bell, Lavaca, and Falls Counties. Sheriff’s Departments from each of these counties were on hand at Monday’s meeting.

Leon County Sheriff Jerry Wakefield began the meeting by having investigators from the affected counties give a brief synopsis of each case.

January and February 2009 - Lavaca County Sheriff Arthur Rogers reported two break-ins occurred in Yoakum, Texas, a community about 40 miles north of Victoria, in Lavaca County. Cash and valuables were stolen in both cases and one woman was sexually assaulted. The assailant has been positively linked to the Leon County cases by DNA results. In the second case there was a robbery and attempted sexual assault.

July 20, 2009 – Leon County Sheriff’s Department Chief Investigator Victor Smith reported that he was called to a residence in Marquez where a 77-year-old woman was robbed and sexually assaulted. The assailant took cash and two mounted deer heads.

August 13, 2009 – Bell County Sheriff T.J. Crew reported that a woman in her early 90s awoke with a male standing in her doorway. She was robbed and sexually assaulted.

September 9, 2009 – Bell County Sheriff Crew reported that the county had a town hall meeting on 9-8- 09 and the next morning a 90-year-old Seaton woman with dementia was robbed and sexually assaulted.

September 10, 2009 – Leon County Investigator Smith reported that an 80-year-old Marquez woman woke up to a man demanding money. She was able to get away from the assailant and escape through the window without being sexually assaulted. The man escaped with valuables.

September 12, 2009 – Leon County Investigator Smith reported that an elderly woman had heard noises outside and reported it to a friend. While doing some upgrading of security around the woman’s house, the friend found that a burglar bar had been removed.

October 10, 2009 – Falls County Sheriff Ben Kirk reported a man entered the home of a 78-year-old woman through the garage, then stole money out of the woman’s purse and raped her. The house had been broken into and robbed earlier.

October 24, 2009 – Leon County Investigator Smith reported that a man broke into a Centerville woman’s home through a back window. The woman was able to scare the suspect off with a gun and escaped out of the house without being sexually assaulted. Phone lines were cut and had been cut previously.

Victims have all been elderly white females who live alone. Investigators commented that all the houses looked alike. In several cases there have been previous break-ins or phone lines cut. All houses have been dark. The assailant’s entry has been different, depending upon the house. In some cases he has removed an entire window; in another case he removed only a pane.

Sheriff Wakefield said there have been a wide range of descriptions; Hispanic, black, white; 5’6” to 6’2”; 150 pounds to 220 pounds; but investigators are confident that they are dealing with one assailant.

When the Sheriff opened the meeting for questions, most dealt with the best way to protect one’s self. One person asked, “If he comes in my house can I kill him?”

Wakefield answered, “You have a right to protect yourself. But we’re afraid that someone will get hurt and the wrong person will get shot.”

For protection Wakefield recommended the following: 1. Pepper spray or wasp spray – it will shoot 20 feet. 2. Baseball bat or something similar beside the bed. 3. Keep your car alarm next to your bed so you can activate the alarm. 4. Life Alert works off of the phone service. Just be aware that the phone lines have been cut. 5. A burglar alarm that makes a very loud noise. 6. Keep a night light on inside the house. The houses that were entered have been dark. 7. Get an outside security light. 8. Get a dog. Even a small dog can be a deterrent.

Marquez has created a Neighborhood Watch Patrol and one individual in the Monday night crowd volunteered to start one in Centerville. The Sheriff warned those on patrol, “Do your watch, but do not approach. Get a description of any suspicious driver or vehicle and let us know. We are at our wits’ end. We are doing everything we can.”