Man raped Beech Grove woman as her daughter slept nearby, court docs say
BEECH GROVE, Ind. (WISH) — A 40-year-old man is in jail after Beech Grove police say he broke into a woman’s apartment and raped her while her daughter was lying in bed next to her.
Richard Reffett faces felony charges of rape and burglary and on Thursday remained in the Marion County Jail.
The incident happened just before 7 a.m. Saturday morning at the Willow Glen Apartments, just north of Thompson Road and west of Emerson Avenue, according to court documents.
Tucked away in her apartment, the victim was asleep. Her juvenile daughter was in her bed with her. Her adult son was in another bedroom. Outside her apartment, police said, was Richard Reffett.
Investigators believe Reffett had been celebrating his daughter’s 17th birthday. After everyone went to sleep, police said Reffett left his house naked and walked less than a quarter of a mile to the victim’s apartment.
“After he removed the screen of our victim’s, he was able to push up the window and enter into the residence that way,” said Bob Mercuri with the Beech Grove Police Department.
Court documents say the victim woke up in her bed to somebody touching her. Not quite awake, she thought it was her husband, but her husband was not home yet for the night.
“To be in your own home, asleep, with a child, and have someone enter into your home and commit such a heinous crime is really unthinkable,” said Mercuri.
The woman managed to turn on her light, getting a good look at the suspect. Police say Reffett then grabbed some of the woman’s clothes, including her underwear, and took off. She called 911.
Police said they found Reffett naked and hiding behind an apartment building nearby.
“They located him naked, but holding the victim’s clothing in order to try to cover his privates,” said Mercuri.
Reffett allegedly told police that he likes to drink on the weekends and wanders around naked occasionally, but he was not in the woman’s apartment.
The victim and her juvenile daughter identified Reffett, and police arrested him.
Marion County Prosecutor Terry Curry charged him with rape and burglary. He appeared in court Thursday morning, where a judge appointed him a public defender. Reffett is scheduled to appear in court next at 2 p.m. Sept. 13.
Investigators were able to collect fingerprints from the scene. On Thursday, they were processing those prints.
In 2006, Reffett was convicted of strangulation and domestic battery.
