POLK COUNTY, Fla. – A 77-year-old woman was “sexually attacked” in her Mulberry home over the weekend, and the suspect was identified as a man who was in the country illegally, according to Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd.
In a release on Monday, deputies said the victim woke up around 4 a.m. on Saturday after she heard a noise, with an “unknown man” coming into her bedroom, forcing her out of her clothes, and sexually battering her.
“The victim attempted to escape through the front door when the suspect went into the bathroom, but the suspect chased after her and dragged her back inside and choked her,” the release reads. “The suspect fled from the scene, and the victim called the sheriff’s office.”
Per Sheriff Judd, detectives canvassed the neighborhood for clues, leading them to a home with three people inside.
Detectives initially spoke with two of the occupants there as the third was showering, but when they finally contacted the third occupant, they noticed he matched the description given by the victim, the release states. Clothing in the home also matched what the victim described.
The suspect was ultimately identified as 24-year-old Axel Antonio Espinal-Herrera of Honduras, and he was taken into custody on the following charges:
Kidnapping
Sexual battery by force
Burglary with battery
Tampering with evidence
Possession of cocaine
Possession of drug paraphernalia
Loitering/prowling
According to investigators, Espinal-Herrera initially spoke with detectives but then refused to answer any additional questions.
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“Detectives obtained a search warrant for swabbings from Espinal-Herrera and photos,” the release continues. “During this collection of evidence, multiple scratches were found on Espinal-Herrera’s body which were consistent with the victim’s statements. Espinal Herrera was also found to be in possession of cocaine.”
The sheriff’s office also reported that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) was contacted, and a detainer has been placed on Espinal-Herrera.
Meanwhile, two other men living with Espinal-Herrera were determined to be from Honduras and living in the U.S. illegally, leading to them being taken into custody on ICE holds, deputies noted.
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