Man denies assault on 87-year-old woman, says he went looking for cash

LOUISA — A man accused of severely beating an 87-year-old woman in her house also groped her and threatened to "have sex with her and make sure she would never talk," Louisa County's top prosecutor said yesterday.

The victim, Lois Rosson, who was attacked in a downstairs bedroom early May 22, apparently scared off her attacker when she began calling upstairs for help, although no one was up there, authorities said yesterday.

Commonwealth's Attorney Thomas A. Garrett Jr. said during a bond hearing yesterday that the suspect, Remone Jilantai Houchens, is involved with the Bloods, a criminal street gang, and that he told authorities "he was running from Crips that night."

Louisa General District Judge Edward K. Carpenter denied bond for Houchens, 19, and set a preliminary hearing for Aug. 3.

Before yesterday's hearing, as a deputy was leading Houchens into the courthouse, the defendant stopped to answer reporters' questions.

"I just want everyone to know that I didn't beat that woman like Louisa said I did," he said. "I would like to apologize," he added, while denying he harmed the woman.

"I didn't hurt her and nobody hurt her," he said.

Asked by a reporter why he went into Rosson's home, he said he needed money.

Houchens broke through a glass door into the victim's home in the town of Louisa shortly before 3 a.m., cutting himself and leaving behind blood that provided a DNA match implicating him, Garrett said. Glass was later found in the soles of his shoes.

Authorities have said that a loud noise woke the victim and that the intruder went into her bedroom and started beating her with his fists.

Rosson, who is 5 feet tall and weighs about 90 pounds, had her head smashed so hard that she was blinded in one eye, Garrett said. She was hospitalized for several days.

Garrett also said that during the attack, Houchens fondled her and told her he would "have sex with her and make sure she'll never talk."

Houchens stole a gun belonging to the victim from the home before he fled, Garrett said. Investigators have charged Houchens with breaking and entering and malicious wounding in the attack.

Sheriff's Maj. Donald A. Lowe said yesterday that authorities recovered the stolen gun on Friday, but he declined to say where it was found.

Authorities said Houchens' genetic profile was in the state's DNA data bank because he had been arrested in February and charged with having carnal knowledge, without the use of force, of a 13-year-old girl. He was freed on $25,000 bond.

Houchens' mother, Sheila Houchens, said after the bond hearing that her son did not attack the victim and that the charges against him unfairly have made people start "looking at him like they just want to kill him."

"We know for a fact that he didn't touch that old lady," she said, adding, "My heart goes out to the family."

Remone Houchens' brother, Rontray Houchens, who also attended the hearing, said afterward that the allegation that his brother is involved with the Bloods is a lie.

During the course of the investigation into the attack on Rosson, authorities charged Rontray Houchens last Wednesday with three counts of drug distribution. On Thursday, they arrested Remone Houchens at the home of the two brothers, located within about 100 yards from Rosson's home.

The authorities also charged Rontray Houchens, 22, and an aunt, Linda Houchens, 47, with obstruction of justice in connection with the arrest of Remone Houchens.

Reed Williams is a staff writer at the Richmond Times-Dispatch.