A rape was reported Monday morning in the area of Blairmore Boulevard and Blanding Boulevard in Clay County. The sheriff’s office is still searching for the suspect and has released a composite sketch of what they believe the man looks like.
At approximately 6 a.m. Monday, Clay County Sheriff’s Office deputies responded to a sexual battery call for service. The victim (whose name is not being released in order to protect their identity) said that a white male adult suspect with a red beard illegally entered their residence and raped the victim, according to the sheriff’s office.
The man reportedly left the residence on foot, deputies said. He was described as approximately 5’10”, thin build, with short reddish hair and facial hair, they said. The suspect was wearing a black hoodie, slide-style sandals and black baggy shorts, according to the victim.
The suspect was not located despite an extensive search of the area, including K9 unit tracks, the sheriff’s office reported. Investigation into the incident remains ongoing.
The Florida Sheriff’s Association Criminal Apprehension Assistance Program is offering a $5,000 reward to anyone who provides information that leads to the arrest of the suspect. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Clay County Sheriff’s Office at 904-264-6512 or submit tips through the SaferWatch app.
Sheriff Michelle Cook held a press conference Thursday morning (that can be streamed via the Clay County Sheriff’s Office Facebook page). Click here to access the Facebook page.
“We saturated the area that morning,” Cook said. “We conducted an exhaustive and extensive search including using our police K9s but unfortunately we were not able to locate the suspect.”
Since that time, the sheriff’s office has worked with the victim to create a composite sketch of what they remember the man looking like, she said.
Click here to download the SaferWatch app.
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