18-Year-Old Man Who Broke Into Plano Home And Raped Woman Sentenced To 55 Years In Prison
McKINNEY, Texas (CBSDFW.COM) - A Collin County jury sentenced a Carrollton man to 55 years in prison after finding him guilty of aggravated sexual assault.
"People have a sacred right to feel safe in their own homes and not get despicably violated. We applaud this victim's bravery as well as the excellent investigation by Plano Police," said Collin County DA Greg Willis after the sentencing of Laxavier Whittley, 18.
According to the DA's Office, on July 8, 2019, Whittley unlawfully entered the victim's home around 5:30 a.m., shortly after her husband left for the gym.
Whittley snuck into the victim's bedroom and woke her while clearly displaying a firearm to coerce her compliance.
Whittley then violently sexually assaulted the victim for over an hour.
After that, he demanded money, jewelry, and firearms before he left.
The victim called 911 and went to Presbyterian Plano hospital in order to undergo a sexual assault nurse examination to collect forensic evidence.
The Plano Police investigation included neighborhood interviews, a review of multiple surveillance videos, and an interview with a manager of an adjacent apartment complex.
Investigators identified an apartment of interest where a search warrant was executed. Whittley's DNA was found on evidence collected from the victim's forensic examination, and the victim's DNA was found on a firearm hidden by Whittley in the apartment.
During the punishment phase of trial, prosecutors presented three additional aggravated robberies that Whittley committed in the three days preceding the sexual assault.
Prosecutors also presented a long school disciplinary history as well as dozens of jail disciplinary violations while Whittley awaited trial.
The range of punishment for this crime was 5 to 99 years or life in prison and the jury assessed a sentence of 55 years.
