Stanley Police Searching for Suspect in Violent Home Invasion

STANLEY, NC – A violent home invasion in Gaston County. Stanley Police are searching for the man accused of breaking into a woman’s home — and attacking her in her bathroom.

“I’m scared. I’m not gonna tell you a story. I’m scared,” says Stanley resident Libby Stiles.

Stiles is still shaken up after what investigators say happened to her friend and neighbor. In a 911 call, the victim’s fiancé tells dispatchers a man she didn’t know got inside the home and attacked her.

It happened just after 9:00 Tuesday morning on Murphy Street off Hovis Road.

“She heard something on the door. She thought it was me and it was not,” the fiancé told a dispatcher.

The victim told police she doesn’t know how the suspect got in, and she didn’t see him until he was in the bathroom.

“Came up, grabbed her, muffled her mouth, and started dragging her out of the house,” the fiancé said.

The victim told police she managed to throw a glass, which shattered on the floor, waking up her fiancé. By that time, the suspect almost had the victim outside, but ended up letting her go.

A Gaston County K-9 Unit searched the woods behind the home but didn’t have any luck tracking the suspect.

He is described as 6 foot, 5 inches tall, with blond neck-length hair, and a short scruffy beard. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and jeans.