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Man Accused Of Brutal Rape Says He Was Framed

Eyewitness News reporter Kathi Belich spoke with a man Thursday (interview) | (images) who is suspected of raping a 29-year-old woman in her home.

"I ain't rape her. I ain't rape her," he said.

Martrez Anderson, who got out of prison five days ago, is now charged with a brutal attack inside a Lake County home. The woman says he broke into her home Wednesday night, raped her and then forced her to drive him to a nearby convenience store.


ACCUSED RAPIST TALKS TO WFTV: Watch Video | See Images
AT THE SCENE: Images Of Suspect's Arrest

Anderson was quickly captured once police dogs locked onto his trail.

Martrez Anderson says he's innocent and not the guy who raped a 29-year-old woman in her home in Eustis. However, Anderson made conflicting statements during the interview.

"See, this time I completed the act, but I didn't rape her. It was voluntary," Anderson said.

The incident began around 9:00pm Wednesday night when the victim heard a knock at the door of her Eustis home. When she opened the door, a man asked if she needed lawn service. She declined his offer and closed the door.

"So you weren't in her house at all?" WFTV reporter Kathi Belich asked.

"No ma'am," he replied.

About 20 minutes later, investigators say the suspect entered the victim's home through an unlocked back door. The victim was sitting in her living room when she noticed a shadow in her bedroom. She said she tried calling 911, but Eustis police say Anderson grabbed her phone and crushed it.

The horrifying night for the victim came to end at a Shell gas station and convenience store on Highway 441 in Mount Dora. Police say the victim agreed to drive Anderson to the store to get cigars. When the two arrived at the Shell station, the victim jumped out of her car started screaming. She was able to get help from a customer leaving the store.

As the victim screamed for help, the suspect fled to a nearby home less than two blocks away. It did not take long for police dogs tracked him down. He was found hiding in some bushes. Eyewitness News cameras were at the scene when Anderson was arrested.

The good news is that her accused attacker is back behind bars. Police say the store's security cameras captured video of the suspect running away.

The 25-year-old says he's being framed.

"I've never met her in my life," Anderson said.

However, he seemed to know a lot about what happened.

"I like black people. I live in a black neighborhood. Only black girls around," he said.

"Well what color is the victim?" Belich asked.

"She's white," Anderson replied.

"How did you know that?" she asked.

At that point, Anderson was speechless. Later he said he'd seen the victim where police eventually arrested him.

Anderson admitted to Kathi Belich that he likes cigars and used to do lawn work, claims that match the victim's story. The victim also says she gave him $30.

"I had $30 on me, but I didn't get from her," Anderson stated.

Anderson is being charged with burglary to an occupied dwelling with sexual battery. The crime is a first-degree felony. His rap sheet shows that he's been arrested 18 times in Lake County and once for sexual battery when he was 14.

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