An Elizabethton man is facing multiple charges after he was accused of raping two women on two separate dates.
Virgil Eugene Thomas, 44, 822 Stateline Road, Apt. 1, was arrested Monday and charged with two counts of rape, two counts of aggravated burglary and aggravated criminal trespassing after two women filed reports with the Elizabethton Police Department that he had raped them.
EPD Investigator Christopher Bowers filed the warrants for Thomas’ arrest. The first incident allegedly occurred on Aug. 30 when Thomas was accused of raping a 51-year-old woman in her West Elk Avenue apartment.
The victim told police she noticed a black man ride up to her apartment on a yellow bicycle at around 9 p.m. Aug. 30.
The man reportedly then forced his way into the apartment, pushed the victim to the floor and raped her.
The man was described as being between 5 feet 5 inches and 5 feet 8 inches tall, weighing 145 to 160 pounds with short black hair, brown eyes and scruffy beard.
The next incident allegedly occurred Oct. 20, when a 67-year-old woman reported to EPD officer Kirk Carrier that she had been raped around 2 a.m.
Carrier said the woman heard a man knocking on her door and announced his name was “Virgil.” The woman said she knew a man named Virgil, so she went to let him in.
Carrier said the woman reported that when the door was partially opened, a man forced his way into the apartment.
“(The victim) advised the subject held a knife to her throat, forced her to the living room floor and raped her,” Carrier said.
The victim also told police the man told her that if she told anyone he would “break into her apartment.”
The woman described the suspect as a black man wearing a black jacket.
Carrier said she told police she could also show them where he lived but did not believe the suspect was being truthful when he said his name was Virgil.
Officers collected evidence from the scene and from a physical examination performed at Johnson City Medical Center.
EPD Patrol Officer James Sexton and Patrolman Jordan Ensor arrested Thomas on Monday, Oct. 27 on warrants for the charges. Thomas is scheduled to be in court Nov. 10.