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Man Commits Suicide But Found Not Guilty for Sex Crime

Tiffany Griffith

@ August 27, 2009 9:10 PM Permalink | Comments (9)

A rape suspect commits suicide before hearing he was found not guilty.

Thursday afternoon, 57-year-old William Evans was found dead in his St. Augustine home from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

He faced charges for a sexual battery he was accused of committing against a young girl in the early 1980s. The alleged victim is now an adult and pursued the charges with the State Attorney's Office.

Evans was arrested in 2004 and was in a St. Johns County courtroom to hear the verdict today. The judge allowed a recess before the verdict, and during that time, Evans went to his residence in the 100 block of Stokes Landing. Investigators with the St. Johns County Sheriff's Office say Evans committed suicide during that time.

As the judge allowed the verdict to be read, he sent deputies to check on Evans. As they found Evans' body near the balcony of his home, the jury found him not guilty.

The Medical Examiner's will confirm the cause of death. Foul play is not expected, but investigators are not excluding any possible causes.

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What others are saying

He admitted it--does no one else get that??
He admitted 8 years before in a letter of apology that he RAPED his step-daughter. I don't get how he is INNOCENT on a technicality and everyone feels bad for him. A 12 year old girl's innocence was taken away and everyone wants to blame her. Is this such a small community that the minds could also be that small? Raped his step-daughter, admitted it, wrote an apology letter (as if that means a damn thing!)where I come from that's guilty! I don't feel a bit sad for the man; however, I feel horrible for the young woman whose own mother would send her a "mocking smile" when leaving court (as reported in one of the news articles) when the not guilty verdict was read. Not guilty and innocent--two very different things!
By Michelle @ 04/05/10 11:08:13 PMreport abuse
I feel his pain
I was recently arrested for domestic violence when there was no actual domestic violence. My girlfriend was insanely angry and gave a false statement to the police.

There were no marks on her, there are no bruises, only a statement and the fact she was visibly upset when the police arrived.

She now regrets her choice, she was trying to punish me for not going to bed with her, staying up and having a few drinks and listening to music. She didn't realize they'd arrest me. Now I'm stuck dealing with court, I lost my job because I had to raise $5,000 bail before I could get out of jail, and the court apparently, during domestic cases find that the alleged victim recanting their statements is often out of fear or regret, not out of reality.

There is a very high chance I'll be found guilty simply because there is no way for me to prove anything and they have a statement.

What a sad... sad... situation our 'protectors' put us in.
By Jeffrey @ 10/01/09 02:35:53 PMreport abuse
False Accusers
My son's accuser waited only two years to 'remember' she was raped. He was only 15 years old, she was 11 and having a tantrum when she wasn't allowed to attend a party.

He passed multiple polygraphs, she was virginally intact. She'd accused two others before, under the same circumstances - trying to get something she wanted. Rape shield laws prevent that from being admissable. In the wonderful world of child abuse hymens now 'grow back'. Just ask any 'advocate'. Her family left the state a few days before trial refusing to testify. He insisted on a hearing even though he was offered a 'good deal'. They then had her admitted to a mental hospital, and he was left with "who are they gonna believe? You? Or that Poooor little girl?. Children don't lie. He took the plea for no jail time, then was jailed anyway for passing another polygraph saying he didn't do it. He's now 'dangerous and in denial'.
Welcome to the wonderful world of child abuse everybody - the only thing between you and the sex offender reigstry is a little girl who never lies.
By Reno911 @ 08/30/09 05:17:01 PMreport abuse
Suicide
It is indeed a sad day for all of us when it is supposed to be innocent until PROVEN guilty! This man MAY have had a relationship of some kind with this woman in the past, and because of the accusation and the likely expensive costs incurred to this man to PROVE his innocence, and the real possibility of being convicted of a crime he did not commit, he took the only way out he had. This is yet another example of the injustice in our "NEW" socialistic, politically correct justice system, that lets murderers, rapists, and thieves out to do it again, but basically honorable folks are put through the grinder, and the LOSERS do not have to pay!
By James Kuebler @ 08/30/09 08:59:55 AMreport abuse
He was indeed really guilty. According to sources that followed the case he acknowledged abusing his then stepdaughter at around 12 years of age. He even wrote a letter of apollogy to her in 1996. He was found not guilty in the grounds of a technicallity: the statutes of limitations for sexually abusing a child over 12 is 20 years, and the file were charged in 2004 when 21 years had passed. The victims defense could not prove he abused her before the age of 12 which does not have a statute of limitations.
By John @ 08/28/09 06:40:20 PMreport abuse
BS
Even though he was found not guilty, his life was forever changed and basically ruined. The women should be tried for homicide. I love that in a "free" country, women can open their mouths, say a few words and completely ruin a mans life, with ABSOLUTELY no evidence.
By Kevin @ 08/28/09 06:40:06 PMreport abuse
False Allegations
False allegations are more common than society believes, and people know the registry and label as a "sexual predator" destroys lives. This is how bad our society has gotten! Truth about sex offenders @ www.oncefallen.com
By The One @ 08/28/09 06:15:50 PMreport abuse
Wow!
That's sad. I almost hope he was REALLY guilty. If he was REALLY innocent, I feel very sorry for him and his family.
By Mike Carson @ 08/28/09 11:50:38 AMreport abuse
Man kills self
It has come to this because we as the public are so worked up about sex offenders that we have pushed the goverment into harassing them after they have done the time the court gives them. No one wants to live under the sex offender registrys that are proving not to protect anyone.
By Tim @ 08/28/09 11:34:15 AMreport abuse