Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Gurdon Man Charged With Rape

A 36-year-old Gurdon man is being held in the Clark County jail on rape charges.

According to court records, Kenneth Ross allegedly entered the home of a 29-year-old woman on Feb. 7 around 10:25 p.m. and assaulted her.

The records state the victim and Ross had lived together off and on for nearly three years, with the victim throwing him out on Jan. 7, 2001, as the two couldn't get along.

On Feb. 7, the victim had settled into bed and was wearing a pair of pajamas when she heard a noise.

She investigated it and was reportedly confronted by Ross in the bedroom's doorway.

According to the records, Ross grabbed a piece of pipe the victim kept for personal protection. She tried to run to the kitchen, but was followed by Ross, who pushed her, with the violence escalating with him dragging the victim to the floor of the master bedroom.

Ross allegedly tried to strangle the victim with a belt, then suffocate her with a pillow, while saying he would kill her.

The report states the victim repeatedly tried to escape, but was held down by Ross, who requested sex. The requests were declined.

Ross used the pipe to assault the victim while she was still clothed.

He reportedly left the residence at 12:15 a.m., with the victim notifying law enforcement authorities.

According to the victim, Ross, during the assault, quoted conversations she had with other people durign the afternoon, with the conversations being in person and over the phone, showing he had been in the residence until the time of the attack.

The victim was taken to Baptist Medical Center where she was examined. Court records indicate the exam confirms the assault.

In 1999, Ross was convicted on one count of domestic abuse, according to records.