Suspected serial killer had previous arrest

updated 5:32 p.m. ET Nov. 13, 2009

CLEVELAND - A woman told authorities in December that a man now accused of killing 11 women had beaten her and tried to rape her, and police and prosecutors are giving conflicting explanations for why a case was abandoned that could have led them months earlier to the bodies scattered around the suspect's stench-filled house.

The woman's complaint, nearly 10 months before police started finding bodies in Anthony Sowell's home, adds to the questions about whether law enforcement, neighbors and victims did enough to catch a suspected serial killer. Five of the victims disappeared after the complaint was filed.

The woman had scratches around her neck and was bleeding from a deep gash in her thumb when she flagged down police near Sowell's home on Dec. 8, according to a police report obtained by The Associated Press.

Police said they found what appeared to be blood on a tissue in the driveway and footprints in the snow indicating a possible struggle.

The report shows that police went into the house and to a third-floor landing, where they saw a trash can containing broken glass, a sweater, pink sweat pants and panties.

They knocked on the door of a third-floor apartment, Sowell answered and they arrested him. They saw drops of blood inside the house and scratch marks on Sowell's face.

Police suggested that Sowell be charged with robbery, but he was released after two days, Cleveland Lt. Thomas Stacho said Friday. Stacho said a detective presented the information to a prosecutor.

The prosecutor herself decided the woman wasn't credible and wrote a note saying so "underneath a box that the prosecutor checked indicating that the complaint was unfounded," Stacho said.

City prosecutor Victor Perez told The Plain Dealer that the detective was the person who felt the woman was not credible. Perez was not in his office Friday morning. A message left for him at the mayor's press office wasn't immediately returned.

Stacho said the police department is not pointing fingers at prosecutors.

"We're not in position to judge them on making that decision," he said. "We simply give them the facts."

Plea entered
Meanwhile, the FBI returned to the neighborhood Friday to conduct two days of thermal imaging, x-ray and other tests on the house next door to Sowell's in the hunt for more evidence.

On Friday, Sowell, 50, appeared in court and entered not guilty pleas to rape, kidnapping, attempted murder and felonious assault in the separate report of an alleged Sept. 22 attack.

Police investigating that report searched his home beginning Oct. 29, and found the remains of 11 women. Authorities believe Sowell, who served 15 years for attempted rape and has been a registered sex offender since 2005, lured them into his house with the promise of getting high, then strangled them and left their bodies inside or buried in the backyard.

Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Judge John O'Donnell set bond at $1 million on the charges and continued Sowell's $5 million bond from last week, when he was charged with five counts of aggravated murder.

Sowell nodded when the judge explained his rights and shook his head no when O'Donnell asked if he could afford an attorney. Wearing an orange jail jumpsuit with his hands cuffed in front of him, Sowell appeared engaged and alert, at times bouncing slightly on his feet.

Gayle Williams, assistant county prosecutor, said the woman who accused Sowell of rape remains very fearful of him and is concerned for her safety.

"She was only breaths away from becoming another victim of Mr. Sowell," Williams said.

O'Donnell appointed Brian McGraw to be Sowell's attorney. McGraw, who was not in court, said he met with Sowell later Friday at the county jail, but declined to comment on the case or describe his conversation with Sowell.

MORE FROM CRIME & COURTS

Crime & courts Section Front

Knox’s parents investigated for defamation ‘Text-a-tip’ programs help police Alleged Thanksgiving killer sought in Mich. Public defender strangled to death at home Cleveland bodies case hard on nearby sausage shop U.S. ecoterror suspect in China jail 2 dead, 2 wounded when NJ dad shoots his family Cops: Dad locks kids in trunk, goes shopping FBI: Ex-doctor admits making pipe bombs Crime & courts Section Front   Add Crime & courts headlines to your news reader: