Fabian Javier Torres Charged With Sleepy Hollow Home Invasion, Stabbings, Sexual Assault
CHICAGO (CBS) -- A man has been charged with sexually assaulting and stabbing a 19-year-old woman at her home in west suburban Sleepy Hollow, stabbing her younger brother when he tried to protect her, and then trying to force a neighbor to help him get away on Monday afternoon.
Fabian Javier Torres, 32, has been charged with six counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, two counts of attempted murder, seven counts of home invasion, two counts of attempted aggravated kidnapping, four counts of aggravated battery, three counts of aggravated unlawful restraint and two counts of armed violence.
He was ordered held without bail Thursday morning.
"The facts in this case are horrific. This is one of the most violent cases we have charged in my years as the state's attorney of Kane County," Kane County State's Attorney Joseph McMahon said.
Around 12:35 p.m. Monday, Torres was caught on home surveillance video as he entered a house on the 900 block of Saratoga Parkway through an open front door, according to McMahon.
Torres was armed with a knife, and carrying a black bag filled with rope, duct tape, pepper spray, bear repellent and "multiple items of a sexual nature."
Once inside, Torres allegedly confronted a 19-year-old woman and her 17-year-old brother, ordering the woman at knifepoint to remove her clothing, and her brother to leave the room.
"As Torres sexually assaulted the female victim, she attempted to fight and take the knife from him, and a struggle began" McMahon said. "During that struggle, Torres stabbed the female victim, causing severe lacerations to her hands and other parts of her body."
McMahon said the woman's brother "valiantly came to her aid and defense," but Torres stabbed him several times in his face, head, and chest.
"He saved their lives, I'm sure, both of them," McMahon said of the 17-year-old victim.
Both victims eventually escaped and fled the home.
Julian Riedl says Torres, covered in blood, then broke into his home about a block away. Riedl says he grabbed a large tray to defend himself. Meanwhile, his mom walked back inside from doing yardwork.
"She's in the doorway just long enough for this guy to grab my mom. And so I'm on one side of the guy with this tray, and he's holding my mom like this with the knife," Riedl said. "He was like, 'get in the car' to my mom, or 'we're going to take the car'. And my mom was like, 'no, we're not going to do that'. We just talked this guy down."
Riedl says Torres walked away but first looked at Riedl and said, "I'm crazy. I'm insane."
Police say Torres then started asking people for rides.
McMahon said witnesses spotted Torres a short time later near Randall Road and Joy Lane, where he was trying to break into vehicles. Police arrested him a short time later, subduing him with a Taser.
Sleepy Hollow Police Chief James Linane said his department has never handled a case like this in his six years as chief.
"I want to thank a 17-year-old brother who went to the aid of his sister, without fear for his own safety. He's a hero," Linane said.
Torres lived in the same neighborhood as the victims, and McMahon said he planned his attack for several days. Torres allegedly purchased the knife, rope, duct tape, pepper spray, and bear repellent the morning of the attack.
"He had met somebody in the days prior to the attack, and went over there to carry out that kidnapping," McMahon said.
McMahon declined to speculate on Torres' motive for the attack.
Both victims were still in the hospital Thursday morning, but were expected to recover from their injuries, according to McMahon.
McMahon said Torres has a lengthy criminal record, and was on parole at the time of the attack, after he was released from prison last year for a 2011 attempted aggravated arson conviction.
Torres pleaded guilty but mentally ill in that case. McMahon said if Torres raises mental health issues in this case, the court will provide a psychological evaluation.
