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CLEVELAND -
Two women feel extremely lucky to be alive. Both women believe that 50-year-old Anthony Sowell would have killed them.
"He was gonna kill me. I have scars on my neck and nerve damage," said one of the victims. That woman, who asked not be identified, said, "I couldn't leave the house for months. I was afraid to go to the store. I could not sleep."
According to a police report, the woman was walking on Imperial Avenue, toward the bus stop, on Dec. 8, 2008, when she saw Sowell. He said, "Merry Christmas" and she replied, "same to you."
The woman claims Sowell asked her to "drink beer" with him and when she refused he "punched her in the face and dragged her to his house."
The woman fought back, "gouging his eyes" and "grabbing his genitals." She fell down several flights of stairs and then crawled outside to the driveway. Eventually, she flagged down a Cleveland Police cruiser.
Sowell was arrested for rape, kidnapping and robbery, but the case was dropped.
The victim believes that happened because she had a pending assault case against her at the time, and because Sowell claimed she assaulted him.
Ten months later, on Sept. 22, 2009, another woman was raped and strangled inside the house on Imperial.
The victim told police she passed out and woke up in her own urine and feces.
Sowell let that victim leave. She contacted authorities and on Thursday, Oct. 29, officers went to the house with a warrant for Sowell's arrest.
Sowell had fled the home, but inside investigators found six decaying bodies.
The victims who survived feel blessed, but also angry.
One of the women attacked said, "They let that man go and look what happened."
On Saturday, the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office confirmed that all six bodies appear to be women, and most had died of strangulation.
Cleveland Police Lt. Tom Stacho says that in an attempt to identify the bodies, they are focusing their missing persons search on women in the immediate area.
Police are urging anyone who might know of a missing person in the area, to please call their command post at (216) 310-4366 or (216) 310-4370.
Stick with Fox 8 News and FOX8.com for the latest updates on this story.
"He was gonna kill me. I have scars on my neck and nerve damage," said one of the victims. That woman, who asked not be identified, said, "I couldn't leave the house for months. I was afraid to go to the store. I could not sleep."
According to a police report, the woman was walking on Imperial Avenue, toward the bus stop, on Dec. 8, 2008, when she saw Sowell. He said, "Merry Christmas" and she replied, "same to you."
The woman claims Sowell asked her to "drink beer" with him and when she refused he "punched her in the face and dragged her to his house."
The woman fought back, "gouging his eyes" and "grabbing his genitals." She fell down several flights of stairs and then crawled outside to the driveway. Eventually, she flagged down a Cleveland Police cruiser.
Sowell was arrested for rape, kidnapping and robbery, but the case was dropped.
The victim believes that happened because she had a pending assault case against her at the time, and because Sowell claimed she assaulted him.
Ten months later, on Sept. 22, 2009, another woman was raped and strangled inside the house on Imperial.
The victim told police she passed out and woke up in her own urine and feces.
Sowell let that victim leave. She contacted authorities and on Thursday, Oct. 29, officers went to the house with a warrant for Sowell's arrest.
Sowell had fled the home, but inside investigators found six decaying bodies.
The victims who survived feel blessed, but also angry.
One of the women attacked said, "They let that man go and look what happened."
On Saturday, the Cuyahoga County Coroner's Office confirmed that all six bodies appear to be women, and most had died of strangulation.
Cleveland Police Lt. Tom Stacho says that in an attempt to identify the bodies, they are focusing their missing persons search on women in the immediate area.
Police are urging anyone who might know of a missing person in the area, to please call their command post at (216) 310-4366 or (216) 310-4370.
Stick with Fox 8 News and FOX8.com for the latest updates on this story.
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