Man stalked, attacked new widow, St. George police say

Man stalked, attacked new widow, St. George police say

(Washington County Jail)


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ST. GEORGE — A man, who police believe had been secretly watching a 55-year-old woman, broke into her house and sexually assaulted her at knife point over the weekend when he apparently knew she would be alone, police said.

Willlow Wolfrunner Wood, 20, of St. George, was charged Monday in 5th District Court with aggravated sexual assault, a first-degree felony; aggravated burglary, a first-degree felony; forcible sodomy, a first-degree felony; forcible sexual abuse, a second-degree felony; aggravated assault, a third-degree felony; and a minor consuming alcohol, a class B misdemeanor.

The assault happened just before 2 a.m. Saturday. Wood entered the woman's house through a window, said St. George police officer Lona Trombley. He then grabbed a large kitchen knife, went to the bedroom where the woman was sleeping and held a knife to her throat, she said.

"He told her he was going to slit her throat if she didn't do what he asked her to do. At that point he sexually assaulted her," Trombley said.

The woman suffered "superficial cuts to her neck," according to charging documents. "She stated that she feared for her life."

At some point during the assault, Wood passed out, apparently from alcohol consumption. "He ended up passing out and she was able to get away and call police from another part of the house," Trombley said.

When police arrived, Wood was unconscious on her bed and was arrested.

Investigators continued piecing their case together Monday. Trombley said investigators do not believe the attack was random.


From statements made, it appears he had been watching her and knew she was home alone.

–Lona Trombley, St. George Police Department


"From statements made, it appears he had been watching her and knew she was home alone," she said.

The woman, who was recently widowed, only started living alone over the past couple of weeks, according to police. She told detectives she had never seen Wood before. Police did not know Monday how Wood came to focus on the woman or how long he had been watching her.

"I don't know what caused him to fixate on her. She didn't know him," Trombley said. "He did focus on her knowing that she was by herself. So it's not like he randomly picked a house."

Trombley called the woman "brave" for having the courage to sneak away from Wood and call police from another room.

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