Arkansas man accused of raping 'incoherent' and 'very sick' woman hours before she died
09/12/2022 2:38 pm PDT
IZARD COUNTY, Ark. (TCD) -- A 48-year-old man faces several rape charges after he allegedly had sex with an "incoherent" woman several times before she died.
According to the Izard County Sheriff's Office, a 38-year-old unnamed woman was staying at a home with suspect Jeremy Corlis, Mary Corlis, and Denice Carpenter when she became "very sick" and started to "behave strangely."
The woman's condition reportedly worsened over the course of 48 hours, and in the 24 hours leading up to her death, she "was reportedly incoherent, unable to stand or walk on her own, and unable to talk."
Jeremy and Mary Corlis and Carpenter reportedly told the Sheriff's Office they were "taking care" of the victim and letting her "rest" alone in a room, even though the statement says the woman's condition was "getting worse."
On Aug. 29, Mary Corlis reportedly told Izard County detectives she allegedly saw Jeremy go into the victim's room the day prior and that the victim was "lying on the floor." Jeremy allegedly stayed in the room for about 20 to 30 minutes.
Mary said she "she heard noises in which she described as sounding like someone was 'having good sex.'"
She also reportedly confirmed that the woman was "incoherent at this point."
The Izard County Sheriff's Office referred to the woman as Victim 1 in the press release.
Investigators spoke with Jeremy on Aug. 29, and he allegedly confessed to having sex with the woman. He reportedly called his actions "foreplay" and said they were "fooling around."
Jeremy reportedly told detectives the sex occurred between 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. Aug. 28 and that "before and during the assault he believed Victim 1 was attempting to speak, but the noises were inaudible."
He also said he could not understand what the woman was saying to him.
On Sept. 2, Jeremy reportedly admitted to sexually assaulting the woman five times. The Izard County Sheriff's Office said Jeremy "did not think Victim 1 knew what was taking place during the assaults."
KAIT-TV reports the woman died Aug. 28.
The woman's body was sent to the Arkansas crime lab for an official cause of death, but the Sheriff's Office said a "preliminary report shows no trauma to the body that points to foul play."
Jeremy was booked into the Izard County Jail on five counts of rape.
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