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Rapist was lying in wait in home

By CAMILLE C. SPENCER
Published December 16, 2006

HOLIDAY - It was about 9:15 a.m. Friday. The woman left home, dropped her kids off at school and ran errands. Her husband was at work.

About a half-hour later, she pulled into her garage in the Sand Bay subdivision off Strauber Memorial Highway, on a quiet street with brick houses and well-kept shrubbery. She walked through the door she'd left unlocked in a neighborhood where she felt safe.

By then, the man was already there.

He attacked her from behind. He duct-taped her hands, feet, eyes and mouth. As an added precaution, he tied her hands with shoestrings.

He threatened to hurt her if she resisted. After he raped her, he ran off.

She called Pasco authorities, who arrived to find her duct-taped and distraught.

Now, they are searching for her attacker.

The Sheriff's Office wouldn't release the woman's name because of the nature of the attack, but said she was in her 30s.

Authorities released a composite sketch based on a neighbor's description of a man seen walking in front of the woman's house shortly before the attack, said Doug Tobin, Sheriff's Office spokesman.

"It's not very often that we have a sexual assault where the person doesn't know the victim," Tobin said.

Tobin said there was no sign that anything was taken from the home.

Anyone with information was asked to call the Sheriff's Office Tips Line toll-free at 1-800-706-2488.

Camille C. Spencer can be reached at 727 869-6229 or cspencer@sptimes.com.

Search for suspect

A neighbor who saw a man in front of the rape victim's house shortly before the attack described him as a white male, dark complexion with dark wavy shoulder-length hair. He is about 5-feet-10 and 180 lbs. He was wearing a red, hooded jacket, blue jeans and sneakers. This is a composite sketch of the suspect released by the Pasco County Sheriff's Office.

[Last modified December 16, 2006, 00:21:49]