Suspect in UMW attack. View and ORDER more photos.

Sketch of UMW sophomore's attacker released

Date published: 10/5/2008

By COREY BYERS

University of Mary Washington officials released a sketch yesterday of the man believed to have sexually assaulted a sophomore.

University spokeswoman Theresa Mannix said the female victim met with an artist from the Federal Bureau of Investigation to develop the composite.

The sketch is of a white man with light-colored, buzz-cut hair, between 20 and 24 years old. The attacker is described as 5 feet, 5 inches tall, with green eyes and a soft, high-pitched voice.

He also has a tribal tattoo on his left arm and was wearing a green T-shirt and jeans at the time of the assault.

Mannix said the attack occurred early Friday morning at the school's four-floor parking deck. She said there are no suspects at this time.

Mannix said the student lived on campus and was released from Mary Washington Hospital on Friday; her injuries, if any, are unknown.

Mannix said an anonymous donor gave the university $10,000 as a reward for information that leads to the arrest and conviction of the attacker.

Mannix said the woman was attacked at about 2 a.m. as she walked away from her car. She had parked on the third floor of the deck.

Mannix said the victim did not know the attacker, who was unarmed at the time of the incident.

Afterward, the woman drove to Stafford County and called the Sheriff's Office there, Mannix said. Mannix said yesterday that the victim was "very familiar" with Stafford, which is why she went there first.

A Stafford deputy called the Fredericksburg police, who sent an investigator to meet the victim at the hospital. The investigator called university police upon learning that the attack happened at the school.

An e-mail was sent to students at about 4:30 a.m. Friday. Mannix said a follow-up e-mail and text message warning on the university's alert system were sent about an hour later.

Yesterday several students interviewed on campus said they feel safe at the university and cited the warnings.

"It's a friendly environment," said freshman DeJane' Carroll.

Freshman Lydia Schwoebel-Taylor said she wasn't changing her routine. She added that it was "kind of freaky" for such an attack to happen at the university.

Last night a security guard was on duty at the parking deck as students, some walking alone, entered and exited the facility.

Corey Byers: 540/735-1976
Email: cbyers@freelancestar.com

The University of Mary Washington offers a 12-hour Rape Aggression Defense self-defense class. The program is free for male and female students and is available to area residents for a fee. For more information, call 540/ 654-1025 or visit umw.edu/police/prevention/rad_class.php.

Read more stories about Fredericksburg
Date published: 10/5/2008

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