A Chicago man attacked, repeatedly sexually assaulted, and threatened to kill a woman who was temporarily living with him until the nearly-naked victim managed to escape and flag down a Chicago police officer for help, prosecutors said Friday.
William Dukes was on bail for a pending aggravated DUI case that he repeatedly failed to show up in court for, Assistant State’s Attorney Sara Whitecotton said. He is the 47th person accused of killing or shooting—or attempting to kill or shoot—someone in Chicago while awaiting trial for a felony this year. The alleged crimes involved at least 85 victims, 21 of whom died.
William Dukes | CPD
The victim was recently kicked out of her home, and Dukes, who knows the woman through friends, invited her to temporarily stay in his home in the 6200 block of North Washtenaw about a month ago, Whitecotton explained.
The woman awoke around 11 a.m. on Thursday to the sound of Dukes knocking on her bedroom door. According to Whitecotton, she slept in a different room than Dukes, and the two never had a sexual or romantic relationship.
The woman, 42, encountered Dukes in the living room. He was shirtless and pulled her to her knees by her hair while threatening to kill her with a boxcutter, Whitecotton continued.
He then sexually assaulted the woman over and over again while holding a knife to her throat and threatening to “cut her into little pieces so that she would never be found,” said Whitecotton.
She said the woman eventually bit Duke’s penis in an effort to end the attack, but he became enraged and choked her until she passed out. When she regained consciousness, Dukes’ hands were still on her throat, and he told her she was “lucky” that she woke up, Whitecotton said.
Dukes eventually fell asleep, and the woman darted out of the house, naked from the waist down and wearing a t-shirt that Dukes had slashed with the box cutter.
She waved down a Chicago police sergeant and explained that she had escaped from a man who had sexually attacked her. The officer and backup units entered Dukes’ home and found him sleeping naked on the couch with a box cutter and knife on the floor.
EMS took the woman to a hospital for treatment of lacerations, scratches, and bruises, Whitecotton said.
Dukes has a lengthy felony criminal record, including two felony narcotics distribution convictions in 2010, two burglaries and two stolen motor vehicle cases in 2000, and three forgery cases, according to Whitecotton.
His defense attorney offered no arguments on his behalf during Friday’s bail hearing. The lawyer said Dukes is a high school graduate and certified auto mechanic who works as a plumber.
Judge Kelly McCarthy held Dukes without bail.
The “not horrible” series
This report continues our coverage of individuals accused of killing, shooting, or trying to kill or shoot others while on bond for a pending felony case. CWBChicago began our series of reports in November 2019 after Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans publicly stated, “we haven’t had any horrible incidents occur” under the court’s bond reform initiative.
The actual number of murders and shootings committed by people on felony bail is undoubtedly much higher than the numbers seen here. Since 2017, CPD has brought charges in less than 5% of non-fatal shootings and 33% of murders, according to the city’s data.
