WINDERMERE, Fla. — A man, who was arrested in a Windermere home invasion and attempted kidnapping case from 2004, bonded out of jail Tuesday afternoon. Stanley Thornton posted a $5,000 bond after facing a judge Tuesday morning, who ordered him to have no contact with the victim or firearms.
RAW VIDEO: Windermere Home Invasion Suspect Faces Judge
Police arrested 54-year-old Stanley Thornton on Monday.
Only WFTV was there on Monday for Thorton's arrest in a violent home invasion that agents said former Police Chief Daniel Saylor could have made four years ago. Investigators said Saylor had the evidence he needed to arrest Thorton, but for some reason he didn't.
The victim, Sandra Delisle, said she had to wait seven years for justice. She said she lived in fear knowing the suspect was still on the streets.
Police said that in 2004, Thornton pretended to be a flower delivery person and blew black pepper in Delisle's face when she answered the door. According to Windermere police, Thornton tied her up with duct tape, said her husband owed him $1 million and wanted the money.
Delisle fought with him and Thorton threatened to kill her, police said. She told officers that the man then placed a pillowcase over her face and started to take her out of the house, but her oatmeal on the stove started burning and set off a smoke alarm, and he took off.
For years, Delisle suspected something was wrong, because the Windermere Police Department wasn't doing enough to solve her case. Then, when Saylor was arrested and fired earlier this year, all her suspicions came back.
Delisle went to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and then to new Chief Mike McCoy, who reopened the case. It turns out her case file had been left with Saylor and it was missing, but investigators learned FDLE had a DNA match in the case to Thornton from 2007.
Thornton denied the whole thing after turning himself in. He faces home invasion with a weapon, attempted kidnapping and battery charges. He could face a life sentence.
Previous Stories: April 25, 2011: Man Arrested In Cold Case; Ex-Chief Ignored DNA Evidence
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