Transient Sought in Beating, Rape of 84-Year-Old Woman

Authorities were searching Friday for a man who beat and raped an 84-year-old Port Hueneme woman and then fled naked after crashing through her living room window.

“It’s one of the most despicable, horrendous offenses I have seen,” said Deputy Dist. Atty. Lela Henke-Dobroth, supervisor of the sexual assault unit, who has been with the prosecutor’s office 10 years.

Port Hueneme Detective Kenneth Dobbe, a seven-year veteran of the Police Department, agreed. “It was one of the worst crimes I’ve ever seen,” he said.

The suspect has been identified as John Paul Duggan, 34, believed to be a transient pipe fitter. He is accused in a felony complaint of rape, attempted murder, aggravated mayhem, assault by means likely to cause great bodily injury, assault causing great bodily injury and residential burglary.

The attacker could face a maximum penalty of life imprisonment with the possibility of parole.

The victim is in fair condition at St. John’s Hospital Regional Medical Center in Oxnard, a spokeswoman said. She suffered a concussion, severe facial cuts that required stitches and serious damage to her left earlobe, which a plastic surgeon repaired.

Duggan has a lengthy felony arrest record in other states, police said.

The suspect met the victim’s 30-year-old grandson earlier this month, police said. He apparently was invited to temporarily stay at the house where the victim had lived for about 40 years. The victim and her grandson were sleeping in separate bedrooms and Duggan was allowed to sleep on a living room couch.

About 5:45 a.m. Thursday, the grandson awoke to the yipping of his 9-week-old puppy, police said. He heard a commotion and found his grandmother being assaulted in her bedroom, police said.

A fight between Duggan and the grandson began, police said, with Duggan attempting to throw the grandson through the bedroom window. The two then rolled into the living room, where Duggan broke free and crashed head-first through a window and ran naked into the darkness.

A short time later, police believe that Duggan broke into a nearby residence and stole car keys and a checkbook. Police also believe that while a couple slept nearby, he shaved off his mustache. Duggan then drove away in the couple’s car, Dobbe said.