Read She Survived for Free Online

Melissa said, “I’m bleeding very badly,” she explained to Godan, was when he stopped attacking her. It was as if he had snapped out of some sort of daze and the reality of those words—and what he was doing—stopped him.
    Strange behavior.
    â€œAnd he jumped up and ran out . . . ,” Melissa explained through her own set of clenched teeth.
    â€œDid you get a look at what he looked like?” Godan asked.
    â€œNo, I mean, I felt . . .” She thought about it. What did he look like? Continuing, Melissa described a “thin, bony” and “rather lightweight” man. “I think he had really short hair.... And when I grabbed at his face once, I’m pretty sure his face was kinda smooth.” She said she didn’t think he had any acne. “But he was kinda sweating, so I don’t know.... I think he had on jeans and a T-shirt, from what I could feel. . . .”
    These photos show the porch/patio sliding glass door Melissa’s attacker used to sneak into her apartment. Authorities believe he scaled the wall using a utility line. ( Photos courtesy of Marion County Prosecutor’s Office )
    â€œOkay, so he got ahold of your underwear and he ripped them off, right?”
    â€œUh-huh.”
    â€œOkay, did he . . . did he . . . Can you remember anything else that he said to you?”
    This was important. Perps sometimes gave themselves away in what they said. Specific words could help investigators figure out personal things about a perp.
    â€œHe just kept saying, ‘Shut up, bitch.’ And he only said it, like, three times—”
    â€œDid he say anything that he was going to do to you?”

    â€œNo.”
    Melissa believed he was on the bed while he beat her. There weren’t any lights on in the room, she told Godan.
    â€œOkay . . . do you know how he got in there?” Godan wondered.
    â€œI’m assuming through the patio window off of my balcony, ’cause that was the only thing that was open. I, unfortunately, left that open, cracked open ... ’cause the front door was still bolted, bolted and chained, when I let the police officers in.”
    Considering what she had been through, Melissa’s memory was remarkable. She was spot-on with just about every detail she offered police so far.
    The other important item that came up as they talked through her terrifying ordeal was how Melissa’s attacker might have snuck into the apartment before Melissa got home—that’s why she didn’t hear him come into her bedroom. Perhaps he was already inside, waiting for her to fall asleep. With respect to that theory, Godan asked if Melissa heard anything inside her apartment that night when she returned home. Were there any abnormal noises? Did she have a feeling that someone had either been in her apartment or something was different?
    Melissa thought about it, but she couldn’t recall anything for the cop. She couldn’t even remember the moment he climbed on the bed or jumped on her.
    â€œSo maybe he was standing next to me when he started hitting me?” Melissa said.
    They talked about race.
    â€œNo,” Melissa said. “I really honestly do not [know]” if he was black or white. But then a thought came to her: “. . . I think he was trying to make his voice sound more black, but I really don’t know.”
    She was certain he was on the “younger” side.
    He never got undressed, nor did he take his pants down, Melissa said. She had scared him away before he could rape her.
    â€œYou don’t have any idea who this guy would be?”
    â€œNo, I really don’t.”

CHAPTER 13
    BLOOD SPORT
    As Melissa recovered from the first of what was to be several additional operations, the investigation moved over to her apartment. There was plenty of evidence to sift through. And with that evidence came a few answers that told investigators a little bit more about the guy they