An assault suspect was arrested in Baltimore thanks to a strange clue: a package of rubber bands from his dental braces that he left at the crime scene.
Detectives hunting for Charles Taylor, 46, got an unexpected break when they discovered “tire packs used for braces” inside his abandoned tent at a homeless encampment, according to court documents.
Investigators contacted the manufacturer of the tires and learned that there was only one dental office in Maryland that carried the company’s products.
Police went to the dental office in the Baltimore suburb of Ellicott City and showed employees a sketch of the kidnapping suspect.
“Immediately staff identified the suspect believed to be Charles Taylor,” a detective wrote in charging papers.
The victim told police that on Nov. 7, she was enjoying an afternoon walk in Leakin Park when a man she didn’t know kept time with her and then followed her down a path, according to court records. reported by the Baltimore Banner.
As the man continued to speak, the woman said, she noticed a change in his tone after he mentioned his mother’s death. The stranger – later identified as Taylor – also revealed he was bipolar and suicidal.
Without warning, Taylor grabbed the woman from behind, pulled a gun on her and told her, “I’m going to kill you,” the affidavits said. as reported by NBC News.
The septuagenarian tried to fight back and bit her attacker, who responded by punching and choking the woman until she blacked out.
Taylor then allegedly dragged the unconscious victim to his tent in the woods and tied her to a chair with a rope, before grabbing the defenseless woman’s breasts and kissing her, according to charging papers.
When the woman regained consciousness, she told police, she tried to get Taylor to pray with her to keep him calm.
Eventually, the 71-year-old managed to distract her captor by asking him to look for her dropped glasses. She took the opportunity to untie herself from the chair and escape.
Despite her injuries sustained during the attack, the victim was able to cross a creek and reach a road, where she flagged down a car and called 911.
In the days following her traumatic ordeal, the victim led officers to Taylor’s hideout, where they found a bloody rope, an air mattress, a makeshift shower and a chainsaw, along with the telltale tires.
Taylor was charged with first- and second-degree assault, sexual harassment, kidnapping and reckless endangerment. He was ordered held without bail after receiving treatment for depression and suicidal thoughts.
Taylor’s criminal history includes a first-degree rape conviction in 2000, for which he was sentenced to 30 years in prison, half of which was suspended.
In 2001, Taylor was also found guilty of third-degree sexual assault and first-degree assault and sentenced to an additional 15 years.
