Man captured after alleged rape, burglary and fire in Hidden Valley

An unidentified man suspected of raping a Hidden Valley woman before burglarizing her home, stealing her car and burning down another home was arrested Thursday. Below is a report from the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office:

On March 17, 2005, at approximately 9:00 a.m., the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office received a call that a woman, while being held a gunpoint, had been sexually assaulted at her home in Hidden Valley. Upon deputies responding to the scene it was learned that the woman’s three children were home in another part of the house while the sexual assault occurred.

While in the home, the suspect stole numerous items including jewelry and firearms. Prior to the suspect leaving the home he told the victim that if she called law enforcement that he would come back and kill her and her children.

When the suspect left he drove away in a sport utility vehicle owned by the victim. A description of the suspect and vehicles was issued to all units in the area to include the Casa Grande Police Department and the AK-Chin Police Department.

Pinal County Sheriff’s Office deputies observed an individual meeting the description of the suspect about 1:00 p.m. in the area of Hidden Valley and Farrell Roads just south of Maricopa. A pursuit of the suspect ended at a home in the 15500 block of North Thornwood when the suspect forced his way into the home. Deputies then set up a perimeter to contain the suspect who was armed with what appeared to be a semi-automatic pistol.

Members of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office SWAT team arrived and assisted as the suspect began a stand off by refusing to surrender and holding a weapon to his head threatening to kill himself.

Negotiators tried to talk the suspect into surrendering as the fire of the home grew larger. Due to the suspect’s refusal to surrender, a less-lethal means was deployed and the suspect was taken into custody. The suspect was treated at the scene by medical personnel for minor injuries.

After the suspect was taken into custody, fire personnel from Western Fire, Maricopa Fire and AK-Chin Fire, who had been standing by, were allowed access to the home to extinguish the blaze. The home was a total loss and no one was injured from the fire. There were no injuries to firefighters or law enforcement personnel.

Detectives of the Pinal County Sheriff’s Office are continuing the investigation to locate stolen property, the cause and origin of the house fire and the true identity of the suspect. The suspect is currently incarcerated in the Pinal County Adult Detention Center in Florence.