[KHTS] – Detectives with the Special Victims Unit of the Sheriff’s Department are investigating a report that a Santa Clarita Valley Realtor was raped while she was showing a home in Valencia.
The victim reported to deputies she was showing a home in the evening of May 30 on North Pietro Drive in Valencia.
The woman met the man, had drinks with the man in the home where the alleged suspect was posing as a prospective client, and the woman reported she was drugged and then sexually assaulted.
“Detectives have identified a suspect,” said Sgt. Brian Hudson of the Special Victim Unit of the Sheriff’s Department, “however, the case is being actively investigated.”
The report comes days after the Sheriff’s Department data indicates the year-to-date number of reported rapes has doubled from 2014 to 2015, from eight to 16 within city limits; in unincorporated areas, the rise was less significant, from three to four, over the same five-month period last year. There was a total of 23 reported last year in the entire Santa Clarita Valley patrol area.
The countywide crime numbers were released June 5 by the Sheriff’s Department.
The suspect’s name is not being released at this time, according to Sheriff’s Department officials.
No other information is available at this time.
A local official with the Southland Regional Association of Realtors offered safety tips, many of which are on the group’s site, in response to news of the recent assault.
“We recommend that you always meet someone for the first time at the office,” said Nancy Lulejian Starczyk, government affairs officer and past president of the SRAR. A Realtor also should bring someone with them if they have any concerns or are not sure about the person with whom they are meeting.
“It’s important to remember,” she said, “that you are very, very vulnerable when you’re alone.”
The California Association of Realtors, as well as the national association, have resource pages for safety advice for Realtors who show homes.
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179 Comments
Hadassah Bella wtf
Omg !!
:(
Cherrie, do u know who it was?
I don’t but that is crazy since on May 29th I door knocked every home on Pietro!!!
Wow….I’m glad you are ok!
So scary when it happens so close in a community we work so hard in! That’s why I love having a man as my partner to take with me on new appts.
So ditto Cherrie….I never meet any new clients, outside the office or alone!
Sara Spalione be careful out there
I think it’s time to organize some self defenses classes for all you beautiful ladies!
I think it’s time to organize some self defenses classes for all you beautiful ladies!
With just about everyone having a camera at their disposal these days, maybe it would be a good idea for realtors meeting with clients alone to start taking a picture of who they are meeting with before entering the house and send it to someone. If the device is set to backup to the cloud, there would be a good chance the picture could be retrieved if the phone is taken. If the person(s) object to a picture being taken, it might be a good idea to fake an incoming call and get away from the person(s), (of course taking the picture as you leave).
Denise LaHaie Mitchell
Wait I’m confused. Does it say she met him and had drinks in the home?!? Like apple juice drinks or alcohol drinks? Hmmmm
Still not an excuse to rape someone
Nobody said it was an excuse. All it takes is 2 drunk people to have consensual Sex, one saying they couldn’t remember and then it turns into a felony rape.
Typical male reaction. It is VERY common for a Realtor to engage in dinner and or drinks during meetings over home purchases, regardless if its the buyer or seller. All it takes is one drink laced with a date rape drug to knock a woman out. Not to mention if a woman is so drunk that she is unaware of whats going on, than its rape.
Does it matter?
Definitely not an excuse….. But I don’t understand what showing a house has to do with meeting a guy in having drinks in the house… Maybe I’m just out of the real estate loop…. I don’t know maybe I’m just paranoid….. But if I was a real estate agent I would personally not meet a guy by myself anyways let alone have drinks… I was just trying to understand. If and why they would be having alcohol at home showing
And PS why is it taking two weeks to report the rape…idk I feel like there is more to this story. Just sayin….
Booze
Jenn Douglas Wilder
Kim Gibbs
Scary stuff, I’m assuming it was a listing appointment? So messed up!
Either way rape is rape. But if she is like most of us it was a bottle of water.
I had a creep at my open house recently in Encino it can happen to anyone
:o
Why would she be having drinks with a complete stranger/client to begin with while showing property???? VERY STRANGE!!! Or did she meet him at his house for a listing appointment????
Sounds like a listing appt more than showing homes?
Really? You’re going to question the victim/realtor for a completely normal thing? Who cares why she was having any kind of beverage, it’s no excuse.
I find it very unprofessional to have drinks with a client that you just met. I do not mix business with pleasure. That’s no excuse to rape someone, but I wouldn’t put myself in that situation to begin with.
Why even question it to begin with? Who cares if she was having drinks or if it was not professional. She didn’t deserve to be raped!
People have drinks in a professional setting all the time… Whatever type of beverage she had shouldn’t determine if she was raped. Or if it is valid. I can’t even believe you are defending this.
A woman should be able to have a drink without getting raped. Period.
It said he drugged the drinks, so she could have had water and he could have done the same thing.
I NEVER SAID I WAS DEFENDING A SCUMBAG FOR RAPING ANYONE.
True it could of been water but it wasn’t. It another article it states she and the man had alcohol drinks – again NO excuse to be raped but very unprofessional. Not typical of something that is done on the job. Never an excuse to be raped. Totally hope justice is served but also hope the complete story is being told.
I agree, that seems unprofessional and setting herself up for a dangerous situation! I would NEVER do that as a realtor. Is it an excuse for some disgusting pathetic excuse of a man to rape someone? NO! But women need to protect themselves and having a drink alone in a house with a man was not smart at all!
EXACTLY
The victim shaming is so sad. I wish the best for this woman and her recovery.
You have no way of knowing if this was someone she knew before, a “friend” who took advantage of a situation, so questioning her actions is grossly overstepping. Blaming the victim supports rape culture.
The fact that you’d even say something that even remotely sounds like victim blaming is disgusting. Some sexual assault victims already blame themselves and you saying something like this only makes it worse. Regardless of what she was doing, that man should have the decency NOT to drug and rape her. End of story, no excuses.
Wow. This is so sad. A thread full of rape apologists. This is partly why women do not come forward, they know they will be crucified- and by other women!! Ladies, listen, under no circumstances is rape ever ok or should the victim be blamed.
And P.S.- grown up humans regularly have drinks together in a professional setting. If you choose not to, that’s your belief system. But it’s a regular part of our culture, here and in other countries.
Drinks shouldn’t get you raped. Showing houses can be scary at times. You don’t realize it until one it time feels a bit strange. That’s awful and sorry for the Realtor.
Questioning whether having drinks with a client during a home showing is standard procedure for a professional realtor does not automatically equate to “victim blaming”, nor does it imply the justification of rape.
If I were selling my home, I wouldn’t want my realtor (male or female) having what is implied here to be alcohol with strangers on the job, alone IN my home. That seems unprofessional and inappropriate, and I would certainly question it.
Does it justify rape? OF COURSE NOT.
Nobody is doing that.
Thanks Christian Lanz ….that is my point.
All realtors should take a self defense class. I had to after a weird situation a couple of years ago. BE SAFE OUT THERE.
You are victim shaming.
Who is victim shaming? Please elaborate.
Its all a matter of opinion….BUT NO I AM NOT
To question why she was drinking, remarking it was unprofessional, is victim shaming. Those details have nothing to do with the fact that she was raped. She was violated, she reported it….. the first thing on this thread is a comment from Sandra Franco Trohanowsky stating “Why would she be having drinks with a complete stranger/client to begin with while showing property???? VERY STRANGE!!!”<—— Victim shaming.
And the qiestion still remains…….WHY????? That doesn’t mean I am victim shaming, even though i find it EXTREMELY UNPROFESSIONAL.
I’m going to go out on a limb and say that they had more of a relationship then just business obviously there may have been a friendship there she trusted the man enough in his home I would say thats not the first time she drink with him
And on a side note contracts and alcohol never mix
Bingo!!!
This is so sad
Lupe Lomeli
Thank you sister Maribel Lomeli for looking out for me. I do take a lot of precautions, especially with someone I do not know. I will not meet with buyers until they have been pre-qualified with my lender (at my lender’s office) which involve getting ID, personal financial data, etc. Needless to say, if a man has criminal intentions, he will attack regardless. There is no excuse for rape, period!! Bastard should go to jail and get a taste of his own medicine.
That would be very scary.
Very scary. My opinion is it’s very unprofessional that she had drinks with him. Of course it doesn’t say rape me AT ALL but still very bad decision. I hope justice is served.
Smh no place is safe
Patsy Clevenger-Terry, watch out!
Rael Funk Narvell
In all the times Joey Levy showed me houses he never brought beers with him… I probably would have settled a lot sooner
Carolyn Cooper-Durazo
Lets all stop blaming the realtor for “having drinks” with the client. Rape is rape is rape – don’t hate the victim. Why don’t we ask why the man couldn’t act like a decent human being and NOT drug and rape a woman?
I agree with you 100 percent but common sense obviously wasn’t that common to her
Nowadays….. You should never assume people are decent human beings….. People are crazy. You should always be on guard…… Maybe not so much of your walking into the grocery store? Or the bookstore…. Not live paranoid……. But It just doesn’t add up at all that a female agent would fly solo to a home showing and have drinks there….. Obviously I’m only basing it on what the article said about ” having drinks” usually hat term isn’t used when your sitting down for a glass of water….. Or a cup of coffee. I realize it’s assumption…. But the way it’s worded sounds like they were having alcohol beverages. In which case I have never heard of that happening at a house showing. Either way clearly the guy is an entitled jerk….. But idk it would never cross my mind to do that. Poor judgment.
No one is blaming the victim 100% however drinking & getting drunk with your client in a home offered for sale is unprofessional. The house is now tainted. A crime was committed there. Realtor used poor judgement. All the events leading to the rape were in her control. She’s the one who let him in that door. And didn’t respect professional standards. Maybe could have been avoided. The owner could sue her. Their house is now a place were a rape occurred. Creepy. It has to be disclosed.
Ok, she didn’t use good common sense. Ok, she left her “professional standards and practices” at the front door, and yes, the rape may not have happened had she used better judgment…BUT!…
Role all those bad decisions up and they still don’t equal “she was asking for it”. Rape is unacceptable, no matter the scenario.
I didn’t say she was asking for it. However, I wouldn’t walk down an alley at night by myself. There are inherit stupid risks. Mr. criminal played along and so did she. I wonder who suggested bring a bottle wine to hang out at a listed house? Stupid, dangerous, unprofessional, disrespectful of the property too. I see her getting sued by the owner for partying in a listed house. I would never ever abuse my privelage as an agent to enter private property. The dude regarless may have raped her, but he had all the opportunity hande to him too. Thank God she isn’t dead in the houuse. Bad juudgement is a problem.
Chrystal Mendez
Tnx
Gotta keep an eye out for the bestie
Tamara Jean Tambe
Oh no!
Yikes what is the deal out there?
2 weeks ago they found that dead body in the trunk of the Honda on Golden Valley Rd somewhere up there. Just wow. Where I live people just do crazy stuff in the open – like go in to the Starbucks restroom right by my house catch themselves on fire and come rolling out in a ball of flames. Or shoot at cops off their balcony for no apparent reason. Crazy ass world!
Wtf! That coward!!
Stacy Koester Soto
Jenni Storli Getz, be careful out there!
Jennifer Sioussat Michael Arditto-Realtor this is crazy
Kirstyn so crazy:(
Yes, first of all you should always have someone else with you while showing the houses! Also why was she having drinks with this guy?????????????
Joanie Hollingsworth
This is terrible! My thoughts are for the victim and their family. :(
So multiple homicides in 2 weeks tops. Now a rape. All tragic. And yet people still refuse to admit they live in a ghetto. Thoughts and prayers to the victim. A rapist should be smashed out like a cock roach
Mara Walker
Scott Struble
I wouldn’t even host an open house alone if I were a realtor. Praying for the victim and for justice to be served. Rape rates double in awesome town, so sad
Lorraine Furden Cruz
That’s sick
She lost her license…. She was using someone else is house to make a deal with alcohol. And it went bad … This is really sad
Where does it state she lost her license and using someone else’s.
Where does it state she lost her license and using someone else’s.
In her contract when she became a realtor …..
Scary!!
Be careful out their ladies!!
Some of these responses are the most idiotic and heartless reactions I’ve ever read. Wow.
That’s crazy.. A lot of times if you are going thur a realtor they has all if your information… Well I guess a good one because they like to know your rang and buying power. That way they aren’t showing you something out side of it(wasting time) I would think she knows the person.
Poor judgement on her part…seems she played right into his plan!
This is an altogether strange story. I
Be careful Kevin lmao dont let this happen to you when u become a realtor
I don’t need to read the article but reading all these comments makes me see that an Agent set up a meeting to show property, had alcohol drinks with the POS guy that raped her (which he is sure to get raped in jail). But why did it take weeks to report it? Where is the toxology report on what she was drugged with? All round bad decision on the woman’s part to wait, if this is indeed a real situation at all. Did these two parties know each other prior? Indeed, the story is not clear. All speculation and opinion. Karma is a SOB, so whatever happens will for the right reasons.
NEVER blame a VICTIM !
Dodie O’Donnell who’s the victim? Don’t read between the lines. If the guy raped her then justice will be served. If she lied, then justice will be served. You don’t know me, don’t message me and keep your opinions to yourself. Mine is mutual.
Not sure she waited to report, this was released after the incident date. Although many victims wait or never report due to the stigma associated and victim blamimg. Also, if she had drinks so what… ? rape is rape. Period. It’s the act, not events leading up, that are in question.
I know of a female real estate agent that does and has had sexual interactions with “married” men in listed properties. This is why this story really pisses me off. I feel bad for this woman but believe it or not, there are some dirty agents out there. It sucks but that’s the reality some people live in. I just hope this situation falls into the best interest of the victim, and the perp gets what they deserve.
Charlie if you don’t want see others opinion. ..close your Facebook. And for the record I don’t know you . you do know me. If you did know me you would know that I ALWAYS SPEAK MY MIND!
Weeks to report it??? It happened 9 days ago and the article came out today.
Maybe it wasn’t rape me bc she was so intoxicated and just woke up sore and was like what the hell
Rape victims don’t get witness protection.
It took weeks because your world is shattered in minutes. It takes weeks because you’re afraid to answer the phone let alone the door. It takes weeks to report because you can’t trust anyone or anything anymore. Everything outside of the world you knew when it was safe can’t be trusted. That’s why it takes weeks!
Alex Fish damn
Al Caprio
Is he a suspect? Lol jk
No he’s a realtor I don’t need him getting attacked
What the F is going on on our town?!?!?!
The bigger our town grows, the bigger the problems and crime :( no where is safe.
Aweee how sad alcohol or not no one should be raped.
this is very sad and scary to hear. Being in a business where prospecting new business and meeting new people is our daily life. I hope these tragic occurrences stop and we can feel safe again.
Nice video.. Great safety tips… Except the wasp spray… Hit someone with that, you’re going to jail.. Stick to pepper
Lupe Lomeli you should consider carrying some type of personal defense, even a pepper spray would be good. Also, I’m sure your office knows which houses your showing and with who, if you have a bad feeling, let them know that you will check in periodically.
Helena Dantas Munoz !!
:(
This is so horrible. My thoughts are with the realtor. Everybody should always be aware of where their beverage is and should not keep it out of their reach.
Did he sign the offer?
Douchebag comment. Your mom would be proud.
Thank you Gus Lomeli! I do carry pepper spray and have a few family members that have guns. Wink, wink. And most importantly, I do prescreen all my sellers and buyers.
Ladies I work with a women’s self defense company helping women to prevent these horrible things from happening. Message me if you want to protect yourselves
Probably has done it before and nothing bad ever happened. Just have to be careful and know the world is changing and now crazy crime has found it’s way into our industry.
Derain … Michelle Anderson Bronk
Here … How are you?!
Rule #1 clients are not friends . dont blur the lines.
Alicia Aceves-Cabral
Sad!
Collin Davis Heather Feather
There’s professional standards in every industry. As a Realtor, I woud never engage in ‘drinking’ with a male client alone on Friday night in a home offered for sale. Go to the local bar where there are other people. Its tragic that some one would risk being raped by a virtual ‘stranger’- that’s what our clients are to us in many ways. WE really don’t know them… it’s too bad she came upon a rapist. MY goodness I hope they post his photo. She’s lucky to be alive.
Christian Damian
For those of you who made your stupid little joking comments, rape is not funny! What if it was your Mother, or your wife, or your sister…would it be funny or something to joke about? I think not.
Tami Cicerello
First of all, to those of you accusing others of “victim shaming”, for pointing out the mutual use of alcohol, there IS NO VICTIM! There is merely an accuser, not a victim, making charges so unsubstantiated, they police have not arrested the alleged attacker, nor released his name.
Let’s wait for ALL of the facts, before assuming who, or whom, to believe, and who is truly the victim. Being accused does not make you guilty, anymore than accusing ANYONE makes you a victim!
Sad!!!
I’m in the business and let me tell you. There is more to this story.
Diana Schorsch James
Wow!!! My heart and prayers go out to that Realtor.
Sketchy story.
Juan Palomino
Quit throwing around the word shaming… it is overused… of course she didn’t deserve to be raped. However, as WOMEN we should be looking out for our own safety. ESPECIALLY if we are in potentially dangerous situations. Of you are going to put your self in what is already a possibly dangerous position by being alone, you should either get some defensive training or make sure you faculties are not impaired so that if you do have to fight someone off you are more capable. I am very sorry for this women who is dealing with this. Ladies, take note! Protect yourselves.
Obviously if you have to tell your son or daughter not to force themselves upon another person you may be dealing with a sociopath.
Obviously if you have to tell your son or daughter not to force themselves upon another person you may be dealing with a sociopath.
Wendy Abdala
You still should not put yourself in vulnerable situations
You still should not put yourself in vulnerable situations
This comment discussion is disgusting and a poor reflection of basic human compassion. It is never acceptable to rape a person! There is much more I could say but all I really need to say is NEVER! The next time you don’t take every precaution during a scenario because you have trust in humanity and you become a victim -would you want a pack of people to question your actions and discredit the validity of your victimization. Everyday people make choices that have harmful potentials. Not covering the ATM screen when punching your pin in, walking home from school alone, etc. but when it comes to a situation that is intensely serious and based in sexuality it becomes the woman’s fault! What is wrong with people! http://time.com/40110/rape-culture-is-real/
This comment discussion is disgusting and a poor reflection of basic human compassion. It is never acceptable to rape a person! There is much more I could say but all I really need to say is NEVER! The next time you don’t take every precaution during a scenario because you have trust in humanity and you become a victim -would you want a pack of people to question your actions and discredit the validity of your victimization. Everyday people make choices that have harmful potentials. Not covering the ATM screen when punching your pin in, walking home from school alone, etc. but when it comes to a situation that is intensely serious and based in sexuality it becomes the woman’s fault! What is wrong with people! http://time.com/40110/rape-culture-is-real/
I have alot of good friends in the real estate business out here, I would say ELIMINATE any kind of alcohol and don’t go alone. So scary. Hope the lady is okay. Please be careful.
Stop overusing “shaming” and other PC words.
Next thing you know we will be Canada.
It is not “common” for agents to have alcohol with clients. Maybe if it is a high end deal meeting them OUT for dinner and drinks but this
is not a high end area.
My prayers go out to the agent. This has been a danger in RE for decades. We have had agents robbed and murdered too.
I have met some weirdo’s in years past when sitting open house’s or meeting clients for listing’s.
It is great advice to meet them at the office the first time and make sure others know which client you are meeting out of the office.
This is why as a property manager I always walked behind the prospective resident. Sad but true!
This is why as a property manager I always walked behind the prospective resident. Sad but true!
Becareful.. Daniel Weber
Becareful.. Daniel Weber
Christine Connor Brooks
This article does not say it but in several other’s and the news reports I saw it says she was there to see about listing the home. Someone could just as easily stick something in a glass of water.
Arianna Maggie…. Cray cray
Josh Terris
Here is an observation. With all the precautions people are asked to take to enhance their personal safety a job like Real Estate frequently requires agents to meet alone, in an unfamiliar setting, with perfect strangers. This is particularly dangerous for female realtors (unless they are black belts or MMA fighters) which makes them extremely vulnerable as witnessed by this article. My question is this….Why hasn’t the industry, as a whole, done more to reduce the risk of something like this for their female agents? Maybe something like requiring 2 agents for the first few client engagements or something. That question would also apply for female home health care workers. They too are placed in an extremely vulnerable position with the added element of other people residing in the home.
And this is why I always carry a gun and why I never go alone to meet a new client. I also never do Open Houses alone. And I would certainly not have drinks with someone new alone. My husband always says he’d rather bail me out of jail for carrying a concealed weapon, than to have to identify my body at the morgue.
I often think, this would be a great job for retired military or police. Working as security for open houses and home showings since the overwhelming number of realtors are female.
Sad times.
Kory Rolls
I heard. So terrible. People are the worst ever!
Having drinks?
Karla Davila Robles
Danny Slimm D Cabrera Elmoe Cabrera Mitzi Gutierrez
Sad to hear. Too many open issues to understand what happened. Rape is bad and thats all there is to that. She put herself in harms way by her actions, sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, I have met woman that use themselves to get what they want and them accuse afterward if it doen’t work out. I’ve also met violent men in my life. Hope they figure out.
Sad to hear. Too many open issues to understand what happened. Rape is bad and thats all there is to that. She put herself in harms way by her actions, sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, I have met woman that use themselves to get what they want and them accuse afterward if it doen’t work out. I’ve also met violent men in my life. Hope they figure out.
Sad to hear. Too many open issues to understand what happened. Rape is bad and thats all there is to that. She put herself in harms way by her actions, sorry to hear that. Unfortunately, I have met woman that use themselves to get what they want and them accuse afterward if it doen’t work out. I’ve also met violent men in my life. Hope they figure out.
The article reads that the woman had “drinks” with the man, was “drugged” and sexually assaulted. Water is a drink…so is tea…a plastic bottle could be injected with a syringe. Just because a reporter describes things a certain way doesn’t mean we should assume we know exactly what happened.