A New Jersey man allegedly broke into a random woman’s home in the middle of the day, sexually assaulted her and tried to kill her, according to reports.
The victim was elderly and uses a wheelchair.
The suspect, Justin Surofsky, 26, suddenly stopped the alleged attack and left the victim’s home because he told police he “got bored,” according to a probable cause affidavit obtained by Patch.
After his arrest, he allegedly told officers that he was “relieved” he got caught because “he has been having sexual ideations and stated that he is a sociopath,” the affidavit says.
He also allegedly admitted to police that he tried to break into other homes in Piscataway, New Jersey.
Those other break-in attempts were unsuccessful, Surofsky allegedly told officers after his arrest, but he was able to get into his victim’s home through her garage door around 1:24 p.m. Thursday, according to the affidavit.
She was sleeping and woke up to find Surofsky in her bedroom holding a knife and garden hoe, according to the affidavit.
He allegedly pushed her head in a pillow during a sexual assault and “hit her repeatedly with the garden hoe” and five-pound weight, she told police, the affidavit says.
RIPPED FROM THE HEADLINES: TRUE CRIME STORIES YOU MISSED THIS WEEK
She tried to convince him to leave by giving him $1,000, but Surofsky allegedly took the money, strangled her with a tie and knocked her off her wheelchair, according to the affidavit.
While she was pinned under the wheelchair, he allegedly stabbed at her with the garden hoe, but then suddenly left with the victim’s iPhone, police said, according to Patch.
The victim was rushed to an area hospital. There was no update on her condition.
Officers used her “Find my iPhone” feature to track down Surofsky to a Piscataway Wawa, where he was allegedly seen on surveillance camera throwing away black gloves and a white phone, according to police.
Surofsky, a Highstown, New Jersey resident, was arrested later in the day in East Windsor, New Jersey, about a 35-minute drive south from the victim’s home.
He waived his Miranda rights and allegedly told the arresting officers that he was relieved to be in cuffs.
US PHD STUDENT KILLED DOING RESEARCH IN WARRING MEXICAN STATE ONCE CONTROLLED BY EL CHAPO
He faces a laundry list of felonies, including sexual assault, kidnapping and attempted murder. He’s being held in the Middlesex County Adult Correctional Center.
Before his arrest, a Facebook user warned the town’s community page about Surfosky after he was caught on the homeowner’s doorbell camera trying to break into his home around 12:30 p.m. Thursday, about an hour before the attack.
He wrote in a post that his neighbor’s doorbell camera captured the same man trying to break into their home, too.
“I went to the police station with the video captured by our Ring camera and filed a report earlier,” the Facebook user said in the community page. “They have the video and his photo now as evidence. Our nextdoor neighbors also have footage from their security cameras of him trying to open their doors. Please be on the lookout and stay safe.”
The crime scene was across the street from the childhood home of Piscataway Township Mayor Brian Wahler, so the crime struck him on a personal level.
“That these heinous acts of unspeakable violence were committed anywhere in this world is abhorrent, but it is especially repugnant and shocking to have taken place in this Township,” Wahler said in a joint statement with police.
“This is the neighborhood where I grew up… and I am devastated by the barbarity committed against one of our residents.”
SUSPECT IN DEADLY HOME INVASION BLOGGED DOWNFALL FROM USC GRAD TO MENTAL BLACKOUTS
In his statement, he thanked the Piscataway Township police and Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. “I hope that a conviction is secured swiftly and that the punishment is severe.”
The mayor addressed the victim and the community in his statement.
“For the innocent victim, I know that the Township Council and all residents of our community are in like-minded compassion for her well-being and convey our deepest hopes of comfort and support to her and her family.”
The full list of charges against Surofsky are: first-degree aggravated sexual assault, first-degree criminal attempted murder, second-degree burglary, third-degree aggravated criminal sexual contact, second-degree kidnapping, third-degree criminal restraint, second-degree aggravated assault and first-degree robbery.
The prosecutor’s office said the investigation is active and ongoing.
Anyone with information or surveillance footage is asked to call Detective Morelli of the Piscataway Police Department at (732) 562-2355 or Detective Castro of the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office at (732) 745-3652.
