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Police: Homeless man raped, robbed 82-year-old woman in home

ORLANDO, Fla. — A homeless man was arrested in Orlando on charges of sexually assaulting and robbing an elderly woman inside her apartment, authorities said.

Orlando police said Dominic Reed, 45, walked into the Salvation Army Towers Saturday evening, before forcing his way into the victim's apartment.

Police said she had opened the door to sweep out dust, while cleaning her apartment, when Reed pushed her to the floor. They said he grabbed one of her knives, and then sat down on her chest, affecting her ability to breathe.

Reed then lifted her, dragged her around, and then raped her, police said. They said he then robbed her of $70, and then forced her into a closet.

Reed then left the apartment.

A police report said Reed left his green bicycle behind the Towers.

Police said fingerprints found on the bike and on the woman's coffee table were matched to Reed, who has a criminal record.

"He forced his way into the apartment and victimized an 82-year-old woman. He held her at knife point, he did rape her, and then he stole items from her when he left the apartment," said Sgt. Jim Young of the Orlando Police Department.

Police said they were able to quickly locate Reed after the crime occurred.

"She moves very slowly because she's very old. She can't move real fast. But the kids was going up to visit her that same time this was going on. That's how they was able to catch him right fast and call 911 right away," said a resident of the Salvation Army Towers.

Other homeless people in the area told WFTV they feel the attack reflected badly on all of them, in an area known to have a significant homeless population.

"Dominic being a homeless person, it does bring a bad name to other people around here," said a homeless man, who did not want to be identified.

Channel 9's Kathi Belich learned that Reed had been to the towers before, to visit one of the residents. On Saturday night he signed in under his real name at the front desk, saying he was visiting that same person. On the night of the alleged attack, the person he was to visit wasn't at the towers.

Reed was charged with sexual battery with a deadly weapon, home invasion robbery, armed kidnapping with intent to commit a felony and aggravated battery on a person over 65 with a deadly weapon.

Reed is in jail without bail.

The victim is recovering at a local hospital and is in stable condition.

Orlando police said it has been called to the Salvation Army Towers three times so far this year and 13 times last year. One resident's daughter told Belich that that break-ins aren't always reported to police, sometimes because the victims don't speak English very well.

One woman who lives there told Belich that she is so scared that she is thinking about moving out.