Editor's Note: The Montgomery County State's Attorney dropped the charges in this case after police were unable to locate the victim for a court appearance, a spokesperson said.
A Maryland man was charged in a brutal rape of a woman who was living without housing on the streets of Silver Spring, and police are concerned he may have assaulted other victims who are afraid to come forward.
Police believe Patrick Parker, 32, lured the victim to his apartment in Gaithersburg Monday night by promising her a place to stay. She said she told him she would not exchange sex for shelter and he agreed.
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Once she was inside his apartment, Parker brutally attacked her, police said.
At one point, “His body weight was on her chest and he also used his two hands to strangle her,” court documents say.
The woman couldn’t breathe and began to lose consciousness, court documents say. She stated she did not want to die just because she did not want to have sex.
Parker was arrested Tuesday and is charged with first-degree rape, attempted second-degree murder and assault.
Court records show he has a lengthy criminal history that includes multiple arrests for assault.
A judge ordered Parker held in jail pending his next court appearance.
Anyone else who believes they were assaulted by Parker should call Montgomery County police at 240-773-5050.
