Police: Woman calls friend screaming for help; officers respond and find man assaulting her
May 29, 2023, 4:44 PM
Handcuffs in a jail cell. (Ravell Call/Deseret News)
(Ravell Call/Deseret News)
MURRAY, Utah — Police arrested a man on Saturday in Murray after they say they found him in his home assaulting a woman who had called her friend for help.
Mugisha Marie, 26, was arrested for investigation of aggravated kidnapping, aggravated assault causing serious injury and rape.
“The complainant on scene notified officers that he was on the phone with a female victim before calling police. She was telling the complainant that she was being sexually assaulted and was screaming on the phone for help,” according to a police booking affidavit.
Officers “forced entry” into the home through the back door and went downstairs to Marie’s bedroom, where they found Marie on top of the woman pinning down her by her wrists with her hands above her head, according to the affidavit.
The woman told officers she had gone to Marie’s house to dance for him, and it was the first time they had met. She said the man took her to his bedroom and began touching her, and then locked his door when she tried to leave and began removing her clothing, according to a police booking affidavit.
The woman told police she called her friend and began screaming on the phone that she was being sexually assaulted, leading the friend to call police, the affidavit states.
She said he then “threw her on his bed and started punching her leg telling her that she needed to do what he said,” according to the affidavit.
“Throughout this incident, (the woman) said that Mugisha would grab her by the neck and apply pressure,” police said.
When he was interviewed by police, Marie told officers that he had a girl in his room and that they were “having fun,” the affidavit states.
If you have experienced sexual violence, you can access help and resources by calling Utah’s 24-hour Sexual Violence Help Line at 1-801-736-4356 (English) or 1-801-924-0860 (Spanish). You can also call the Rape Recovery Center office line during office hours at 801-467-7282 or the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 for free, confidential counseling.
