Man will face rape charges in assault
By Lee Williams
Published in News on January 8, 2007 1:55 PM
DUDLEY -- A Raleigh man faces charges after he allegedly beat, strangled and raped his girlfriend at her home in the 600 block of Pecan Road early Sunday morning.
Kenneth D. Upchurch, 31, of Crystal Lake Road, was charged with first-degree rape, Wayne County Sheriff's Office Chief Investigator Capt. George Raecher said. Upchurch was being held in the Wayne County Jail on a $100,000 bond, Raecher added.
"9-1-1 got a call about 3:55 a.m. Sunday," Raecher said. "The victim said that she had been assaulted, strangled and raped by someone she knew."
The woman allegedly tried to fight off Upchurch, but was unable to prevent the assault.
"During an altercation with the victim, he got stabbed in the hand," Raecher said.
Wayne County Sheriff's Detective Sgt. Tammy Odom was called to investigate. Additional charges will be forthcoming through grand jury indictments, he added.
The 32-year-old woman was taken to Wayne Memorial Hospital.
"The victim had visible signs that she had been physically assaulted and she was treated and released from Wayne Memorial Hospital," Raecher said.