Custer, SD — An unnamed victim is suing the Custer County Sheriff and Deputies after a man she briefly dated raped and abducted her–and the local deputies didn’t come to her house when she called for help.
The rape victim’s name wasn’t released, but the court filings tell the desperate and grisly tale.
The woman had briefly dated a Henry David Evans early in 2017, but she broke up with him after a short time.
Evans returned to her life as a stalker, and police reports indicated that in June of 2017, Evans had gone to the victim’s farm and been violent and aggressive.
She filed for and got a restraining order against him.
At that time, the Custer County Sheriff’s office knew that she was being threatened and stalked by Evans.
On July 28, 2017, just two days after the restrain order was issued, Evans violated it.
The woman had cameras installed with the deputies’ assistance on August 17th, but the court records allege that the authorities told her not to use a gun to protect herself.
Instead, the police were going to be extra vigilant and keep a close watch for her.
Not a week later, Evans was seen on the camera footage at the woman’s farm, where she lived alone.
On August 24th, Evans was ordered to have no contact with her for a year.
He was arrested for violating it on September 5th, not two weeks later.
On September 6th, the day he was released, he contacted the victim and sent another threatening message.
The Cry for Help:
When his latest threatening message came on September 6th, the terrified woman called the Sheriff’s office at 10:41 pm but hung up after ten minutes on hold.
She was desperate, so she called the Town Marshall in nearby Hermosa, SD for help.
Custer County dispatchers called off the Hermosa Marshall, saying that their deputies would handle the call.
Frantic, she called back to Custer County, but was put on hold yet again.
Custer County Dispatchers called Officer Matthew Tramp directly, and he reached out to the woman.
She frantically begged for help and complained that nobody was coming to protect her.
He reassured her that they were doing everything they could, and she would be fine.
But Officer Tramp never came.
The woman’s lawsuit alleges that public records indicated that Officer Tramp simply finished out his shift and went home.
Meanwhile, later that night, Evans did break into the home.
He drugged the woman and then raped her.
After he was finished, he duct-taped her hands and feet and abducted her, and police investigators said there was evidence he intended to kill her.
Evans was later caught and sentenced to life in prison.
He also received 92 additional years for rape, burglary, aggravated assault, stalking, and violating a protection order.
The woman is suing the Sheriff’s department for their mishandling of her case, and is asking for $2 million dollars.
A Lesson:
This monster Evans wasn’t deterred by frequent interaction with police, restraining orders, police keeping an eye on her farm, etc.
NEVER risk your life on the police getting there on time.
Self-defense is always going to be faster than waiting for help to come—and that’s assuming that it comes.
Ladies, get a gun, learn to use it, and carry it every day.