WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. — A man has been charged with numerous charges including breaking and entering, assault, kidnapping, and rape in Winston-Salem.
On Thursday, September 24 at 10:20 p.m. officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department were dispatched to an apartment in the 200 block of Stone Ridge Drive on a reported rape.
Through investigations, officers found that a young adult female had returned to her apartment, and was opening her apartment door, when a man approached her from behind and forced his way into her apartment. The suspect was a stranger to the female victim, police said.
Once inside, police said the suspect strangled the victim and forced her to perform and engage in various sex acts against her will.
At some point following the assault, the victim was able to flee the apartment and call “911” from a cellphone that belonged to a person at the apartment complex. Police said the suspect was seen by witnesses fleeing the victim’s apartment.
The victim in the incident was taken to a local hospital, where she was treated for bruising and scratches. Police said the victim was in her twenties.
The next day as detectives were still actively investigating the sexual assault, another emergency call for police was received.
At 11:36 a.m., officers were dispatched to the 1500 block of Woods Road where responding officers discovered another young adult female in her early twenties.
The victim reported she had returned to her apartment and was in the process of unlocking her apartment door; while using her cell phone. The victim said she noticed a young adult male a short distance behind her.
As she opened the door and tried to enter her apartment, she said the man followed her and prevented her from closing the door.
Police said once inside the apartment, the male began to physically assault the victim by grabbing and striking her while attempting to take the cellphone that she was using.
According to police, the victim was able to fight back and was eventually able to flee the apartment while screaming for help.
Police said a neighbor came to her aid and she used the neighbor’s cellphone to call “911.” Shortly thereafter, the suspect exited the apartment and fled the scene.
Through investigation and the related nature of both crimes, authorities were able to link both crimes to the same male suspect.
Due to the crimes, officers with the Winston-Salem Police Department put a heavy police presence in the area where the crimes occurred. The officers were also provided with a description of the suspect.
Later that evening, an officer noticed a man at the intersection of Ambercrest Drive and Split Rail Circle that matched the description of the suspect. The location where the officer saw the suspect was a short distance from the location of the sexual assault that occurred on September 24.
Police said the officer initiated contact with the suspect and during the encounter, the suspect tried to flee from the officer. After a foot pursuit and physical struggle, the officer was able to take the suspect identified as 20-year-old Tavon Demaris Taylor into custody.
Authorities charged Tavon Demaris Taylor with numerous crimes. As it relates to the sexual assault that occurred in the 200 block of Stone Ridge Drive, Taylor was charged with First Degree Burglary, First Degree Forcible Rape, First Degree Sex Offense, Kidnapping, and Assault by Strangulation.
Based on the investigation into the incident that occurred in the 1500 block of Woods Road, Taylor was charged with Felonious Breaking and Entering with the Intent to Terrorize and Injure and Assault on a Female.
Taylor was placed in the Forsyth County Detention Center under a secured bond in the amount of $250,000.00. Police said for investigative reasons, a booking photograph of Taylor will not be made available at this time.
As part of the investigation, detectives with the Criminal Investigations Division learned that Taylor was incarcerated on unrelated crimes from December of 2019 until early August of 2020. As the investigation continues, detectives said they will focus on Taylor’s activities and whereabouts following his release in an attempt to ensure that additional crimes were not committed.