Olympia, Wash. — It was a terrifying ordeal for a woman working at an adult group home. A former coworker is accused of kidnapping, strangling then raping her.
It began when 24-year-old Colin McCullough knocked on the door of the group home at about 2:15 Sunday morning.
"She recognized him as a former employee of the group home so she let him in," said Laura Wohl, Olympia police public information officer.
Police say McCullough told the woman he had been rehired and was to be trained to work the overnight shift.
But when the woman took out the garbage, he followed her into the garage "where he tied her up," said Wohl. "Went back to the house where he stole some cash and then took her in a vehicle to another location where he sexually assaulted her."
He beat her severely then threatened to kill her. After nearly four terrifying hours. She promised she wouldn't tell police if he let her go. It didn't take detectives long to find McCullough. He lives a short walk from where she says she was assaulted.
McCullough said little during his first court appearance. But according to court documents, he confessed, telling investigators he watched YouTube videos to learn how to tie up a victim.
"They said they saw at least eight police vehicles," said Janet O'Connell. His neighbors watched police take McCullough into custody. "The shock factor is huge," said O'Connell. "You never ever want to have that happen in your backyard, for sure."
"Rape and kidnapping, that's pretty evil," said Wendy Lagerquist, another neighbor. "To see that happening in your own neighborhood, that's kinda scary."
McCullough's bail was set at $100,000.
The woman was treated at a local hospital.
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