ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. — Orlando police have arrested a man for a violent home invasion in College Park, police said.
A homeowner said Randall Lawrence knocked on her door on Bryn Mawr Street at 2:13 p.m. Thursday and asked for money for work.
"He said, 'I need work. May I, is there something I can do in your yard?'" The woman said, "'And I said, 'No.' 'Do you need help, period?' and I said, 'No.'"
The homeowner told Lawrence that she didn’t have any money and closed the door.
Lawrence then went around the house, entered through an unlocked door and tried to put a seat cushion over the woman’s face, police said.
The woman called for help and her husband ran into the kitchen, police said.
“I want money, jewelry, or anything that I can sell to buy heroin,” Lawrence told the homeowners, according to police.
Listen: Homeowner describes terrifying burglary
Lawrence forced the homeowners into a bedroom, police said. One of them tried to run for help, but Lawrence grabbed her, deputies said. Her husband grabbed his gun, but Lawrence overpowered him, police said.
Lawrence is accused of tying up the couple, stealing jewelry, money, prescription pills and then taking their vehicle, police said.
"First of all, I was a Girl Scout leader and I said, 'No Girl Scout would tie a knot like that,'" the woman said.
The victims were able to untie themselves and call for help.
Police in the area said they spotted the vehicle at Concord Street and Putnam Avenue and found Lawrence and another man, Jeremy Gilbert, inside the car.
Orlando Police Chief John Mina went to the couple's home on Friday to make sure they were OK after the frightening ordeal.
"This one kinda tugged at my heart strings. You know elderly couple, retired," Mina said.
Lawrence has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, home invasion robbery with a firearm, false imprisonment, grand theft and other charges.
Lawrence was already on probation for carjacking with a firearm and bringing contraband into a jail. He’s also a high-risk sex offender, police said.
Contact Deneige Broom for more on this story.