CALGARY – Police have laid charges in a frightening sexual assault from 19 years ago that saw a Calgary mother and her daughter victimized in their own home.
On July 12th 1995, a woman was asleep next to her husband in their southwest home when she awoke to find a man standing over their bed.
“I was awakened by my wife screaming,” remembers one of the victims, who Global News is identifying as John. “I woke up jumped up. There was a man over our bed with a stocking and a large butcher knife he had taken out of our kitchen.”
The suspect then made John move to another area of the home, and restrained him.
“He made me lay on my stomach…he duct taped my hands, feet, my eyes and mouth.”
The offender returned to the bedroom, demanding money from the wife. When she didn’t comply, he sexually assaulted her and her 15-year-old daughter.
During that time, John was able to escape and make his way to a neighbour’s home to call police. The couple had two other young children in the home with them at the time of the assaults.
Officials did identify a suspect at the time, thanks to a tip from a witness who saw someone leaving the area, but didn’t have enough evidence to take the suspect into custody.
However, thanks to advancements in forensic DNA analysis and forensic crime exhibit analysis, officers were able to make an arrest in the case on Tuesday.
“My investigators called the family today, they’re absolutely relieved that someone has finally be caught for this offence,” says S/Sgt. Bev Voros of the CPS Sex Crimes Unit. “It’s been a long time in the waiting, and it’s a very violent, traumatic offence, so they are happy something has happened to this.”
While they’re glad an arrest has finally been made, John says his family is still dealing with the trauma of the incident.
“There’s never going to be closure,” he says.
“I felt defenseless. My family was violated, and I couldn’t do anything about it.”
Jack William Kramer, 51, of Whitecourt, Alberta was arrested in Innisfail. He has been charged with several offenses including:
- two counts of sexual assault with a weapon
- one count of break and enter
- four counts of forcible confinement
- two counts of Sexual assault with threats to cause bodily harm
- three counts counts of robbery, home invasion
- one count of face masked during the commission of an offense
- one count of possession of a weapon or imitation for a dangerous purpose
Police say Kramer is known to the victims.
He has also been charged in connection to an attempted murder and robbery in Fort McMurray from 2002. Police say an employee at a downtown bottle depot was approached by a man in a mask, who threatened him with a knife.
During the robbery, the offender threatened to kill the victim. A scuffle ensued, and the victim was stabbed which resulted in life-threatening injuries.
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