Tuesday, January 19, 2010

The Texas Twilight Rapist

I recently read a media article and was truly shocked with what it said. Just before opening that article, I'd read of the brutal killing of an 88-year-old grandmother in her Decatur, AL home. I was infuriated, especially when reading that a family member is the person of interest.  I've read far too many articles of how elderly people are treated like trash; they’re raped, beaten and murdered, and usually by one of their family members. I don’t want to stop being horrified and angered; if I do, then I’m afraid I’ll start to shrug it off with an ‘oh well it happens’ and that would make me a cold, unfeeling human.

On Nov.23 2009 an 80-year-old woman was attacked in Houston between 2 and 3 in the afternoon. The victim was about to leave for physical therapy for a hip replacement she'd undergone a few months earlier when the attack happened. I was definitely angered when I read of the attack and how she was brutalized. He also stole her car and it was later found in a strip mall parking lot. On Dec. 21, 2009, also in Houston, a 64-year-old woman was attacked and raped. In these two cases, Police have a composite sketch of the suspect. During a media announcement Det. McMurtry said the suspect was needlessly cruel and sadistic. I happen to agree with that analysis. I believe the attacker to be evil.

During 2009 a rapist dubbed 'Twilight Rapist' raped elderly women in towns between Luling and Marquez, TX. The first rape, in Jan. 2009 happened to a 65-year-old in Yoakum. Law Enforcement has said they don’t have a positive sketch of the person committing the rapes; they only have a vague description. They do, however, have DNA and forensic evidence. Sadly, the DNA hasn’t come back with a match of any known criminals. These attacks were on elderly ladies between 65 and 91. Police also believe the rapist attempted to rob at least four other women. They’ve linked eight sexual assaults or attempted sexual assaults to this person. The last rape believed committed by the ‘Twilight Rapist’ was in Luling, TX in November 2009.

If a rapist is willing to drive nearly 200 miles to attack and rape between Luling and Marquez then to me it's feasible he'd make a 130-mile trip from Yoakum, TX to Houston, TX and rape. A difference is in the Houston rapes is the time of day the attacks happened. I do hope, however, the police in the rural towns of the 200 mile stretch contact Houston and compare forensic and DNA evidence.

The ‘Twilight Rapist’ apparently stalks his victims because he knows when they are home; he also cuts phone lines and unscrews light bulbs on porches. Can it be this person is a transport driver of some kind and through either deliveries to these residences or a nearby home he’s able to watch his victims, discover where they live, that they live alone and plan what day to attack them? He attacked one woman twice; after the first attack she moved and was again attacked at her new residence.

I feel these attacks are committed by a coward or cowards. Anytime an elderly person is beaten, raped and/or killed then they should jail the lowlife that perpetrates the crime for the rest of his or her natural life. They do not deserve to walk free, to work, laugh, or enjoy the pleasures of life law abiding people enjoy.





http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/state&id=7224456


http://abclocal.go.com/ktrk/story?section=news/crime_tracker&id=7194312

9 comments:

  1. I hope that when they catch this coward, they lock him up in with the biggest, baddest, meanest men alive. I hope that he has a new "boyfriend" every single day for the rest of his prison life. What goes around, comes around!

    -Moody, TX

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  2. Anonymous,

    Thank you for your comment. I admit that I am very upset that all these elderly people still have to live in fear of an intruder violating their home and them. I haven't heard of another rape or home invasion committed by him. Thank God for that. This cowardly sewer slime will one day see justice, whether it's in a court of law or a higher power. I hope he is living in fear.

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  3. The latest attack by the Twilight Rapist occurred in Moody, Texas. Like the other victims, the woman who was assaulted is an elderly female who lived alone. The attack occurred on March 1, 2010.

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  4. Anonymous, That this slime is still free to rape and terrorize the elderly is a point of frutration for me. And I am positive I am not alone in that frustration. I am sure LE across Texas is doing all they can to find him, but that doesn't make it any less scary for his victims, or potential victims.

    Thank you for advising on the Moody, TX occurence. I add her to my prayers with all the other victims.

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  5. Billy Joe Harris was arrested and positively identified as the 'Twilight Rapist' through DNA! Thank God! Now his victims can breath a little easier knowing he can't come back. May he be judged for his 'alleged' crimes and if found guilty never leave prison again.

    Harris was caught fleeing the home after an elderly woman activated a medical alert. May he be judged for his 'alleged' crimes and if found guilty never leave prison again.

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  6. Harris was employed by TDCJ as a foodservice manager since 1999 and he and his new wife had a business together. BDK Healthcare. His previous wife of 25 years divorced him in 2002 on grounds of abuse and infidelity. She allegedly described him as an abusive pathological liar. He is not only a rapist but a domestic violence abuser.

    I am wondering of Harris, since he moved to the Houston area in May of 2010 was also in Houston in Nov and Dec of 09 when the 2 elderly ladies mentioned in post were attacked. I've never read where they caught the suspect. ( Admittedly they could have and I missed the article in reference to those rapes)

    According to another article he remarried in May of 2010 and they opened the BDK Healthcare business together. ( I will refrain from adding her name here at this time.) They've been married less than a year and it's possible she had no idea he was a rapist. Until and unless she speaks out, I feel her privacy should be respected.

    The police also allegedly found items stolen from his victims in Harris's Missouri City, TX home.

    I think DNA and the evidence discovered at his home will be sufficient to send him to prison for many years. And it's possible more evidence will be found.

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  7. One thing Billy Joe Harris can do is make a common sense person laugh. When Quannel X spoke with Harris, the accused gave the most farfetched excuse for being at the victim's home the day he was caught. Not only is his excuse farfetched but how his DNA ended at crime scenes of all the raped victims was more laughable.

    Mr. Harris claims he was the 59-year-old victim's boyfriend and he broke up with her. She made up the story. And that someone stole his clothing and spread his DNA at all the other crime scenes of elderly victims. Those excuses won't cut softened butter!

    I agree with Quannel, it's like something from a sci-fi movie!

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  8. The grand jury has this case but I feel confident, due to all the DNA evidence, they will return a true-bill against Billy Joe Harris.

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  9. The first of many trials for Billy Joe is set for September 12, 2011 in Jackson County, TX.

    TigressPen

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