Man accused of brutally raping, mutilating woman in Orlando arrested, deputies say

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. – The man accused of raping and trying to kill a woman in Orlando over the weekend has been arrested.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office tweeted a photograph of 54-year-old Bruce Whitehead being captured on Thursday.

“Brutal rapist Bruce Whitehead is in OCSO custody, thanks to a tip at 7 a.m. today from an observant resident! Whitehead raped and tried to murder a woman Dec. 10. Thank you to our community members and media partners for making sure his face was everywhere,” the sheriff’s workplace mentioned on social media. 

The sheriff’s workplace mentioned the arrest was made at Landstar Blvd. and Weatherbee Rd. Someone residing in the Meadow Woods subdivision referred to as in a tip to 911 and reported seeing him in the world. They mentioned the decision got here in simply after 7 a.m. and he was in custody quarter-hour later.

Residents mentioned they cannot consider he was proper beneath their noses. “That’s really crazy,” mentioned Nick Siviga. “It’s literally in our backyard. It’s such a nice neighborhood, nothing happens here.”  

People in the neighborhood the place deputies arrested Whitehead mentioned they’re glad he’s behind bars.  “We don’t need that. We don’t need that anywhere,” mentioned Clyde Sales. “Children and families live here. He doesn’t need to be here. Absolutely not!”

Cpl. Evan Avila with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Sex Crimes Unit referred to as Whitehead a monster, mentioned he mutilated a woman, and instructed reporters this was a “particularly horrific” assault over the weekend.

According to an arrest affidavit from the Orange County Sheriff’s Office, the sufferer was standing close to the intersection of Sand Lake Road and South Orange Blossom Trail along with her associates when Whitehead approached, instructed her he was an artist and supplied her $850 to color her for an hour. The sufferer obtained into Whitehead’s automotive, and he drove her to the Highland Lakes Center procuring plaza. The report acknowledged that he compelled the sufferer out of the automotive holding a knife to her chin and instructed her to lie down in the backseat. 

Whitehead then reportedly drove the sufferer to a car parking zone in Pine Hills, pulled her out of the automotive, and walked her to a wooded space. He then allegedly reduce her garments off and mutilated the woman’s physique. After sexually battering her, the affidavit states Whitehead started to stab the sufferer in the chest a number of occasions. She fought him off by kicking him in the chest and face and ran away for assist, in keeping with the report.

News of the alleged battery unfold shortly round Whitehead’s outdated neighborhood.

“I didn’t want to believe the situation, because I didn’t know if it was true or whatnot,” mentioned Ronald Schneider Jr.

RELATED: Former neighbor of accused rapist said they would often discuss ‘life problems’ and ‘religion’

Schneider Jr. has household close to Whitehead’s outdated home. He mentioned the 2 would typically chat, speaking about their life issues and about faith. 

“Sometimes people let the bad win over the good, and it’s not supposed to be that way,” mentioned Schneider.

The man residing at Whitehead’s former residence mentioned he has been there slightly over a month. 

Authorities mentioned Whitehead served 20 years on a 40-year sentence for the same crime in North Florida. He was additionally in state jail from 2015 to 2017.  Whitehead is now going through new fees together with sexual battery, armed kidnapping, and tried homicide.