ROSS COUNTY, Ohio — A neighbor in Ross County was arrested and charged with burglary and rape. The case unfolded at the Sulphur Spring Road Apartments, resulting in a swift police response and the apprehension of the suspect.
Deputies were dispatched to the scene following a report of a burglary and rape complaint. The victim alleged that a neighbor had entered her apartment and committed sexual assault.
The victim provided an account of the incident, stating that she was in her apartment, naked, when she heard an intruder enter. She initially mistook the intruder for her husband but quickly realized it was a neighbor, identified as Matthew Shoemaker. Shoemaker, who was allegedly intoxicated, sexually assaulted the victim, prompting her to flee to a neighbor’s apartment, where she called 911, reports state.
Multiple witnesses in the apartment complex reported hearing the victim’s cries for help, including a male voice attempting to calm the situation. A teenage male in the complex was also observed trying to gain entry through a window.
Shoemaker was detained, handcuffed, and taken into custody by law enforcement officers. He was arrested on charges of burglary and rape, and his DNA was collected as part of the ongoing investigation. The victim was taken to Adena Regional Medical Center, where a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) kit was administered.