Friday, July 4th 2014, 12:15 am
Tulsa Police said they've zeroed in on a suspect in the sexual assaults that have terrorized seven Tulsa women. Police said DNA evidence led officers to a hospital bed, where they found Desmond Campbell in a coma, following a car accident Sunday.
The break in the case is a huge relief for one of the attacker's victims. She shared her story only with News On 6, on the condition we did not show her face or use her name.
7/3/2014 Related Story: Comatose Ex-Con Is Suspect In Tulsa Serial Sexual Assaults
"The world is going to be a safer place, Tulsa will be a safer place without a man like that on the loose," the woman said. "He can't hurt anyone else."
The woman said feels a little safer after hearing police announced the man who attacked is no longer on the streets, but still, her life will never be the same.
Special Coverage: Tulsa Sexual Assaults Investigation
"I never dreamed that this would happen to me," the woman said. "Sheer terror, it was very frightening."
At 63 years old, the woman said she woke up early one morning to a man standing over her bed. He raped her.
"He had a knife and he blindfolded me, and it was kind of a powerless feeling, not to be in control, not to be able to see," she said.
The woman said she got a quick a glimpse of him before he grabbed a piece of fabric from her closet and covered her eyes. It was his eyes she said couldn't forget.
"They were kind of mean-looking to his face as he was shouting commands to me," she said. "You're absolutely frightened and terrorized and you know that's not the best time to try to figure out the way someone looks."
Through her fear, and her fight to survive the blindfold, she said she was still trying to get a good look at her attacker.
"I told myself, I am going to remember his eyes look and his hair. Even though I didn't get a chance to see much, I wanted to remember it so I could tell police what he looked like," the woman said.
We found several "selfies" on Campbell's Facebook page that were posted in the middle of the investigation. The caption read, "Just so u don't forget what I look like."
We showed some of those pictures to the woman.
"I kind of remember those arms, he was strong," she said.
But now, she's strong. She's learning things about herself she never knew, and she's very adamant; she's not a victim, she's a survivor.
"I feel sort of empowered, like I'm strong. I am a very strong, brave person," the woman said. "And I like that. I like that about myself."
The woman complimented detectives who worked the case and her neighbors who, she said, have watched after her since the rape.
Right now, she's saving up to buy mini-blinds to cover her bare windows. She also said she's adopting a dog Friday to give her an extra sense of security.
"That bark on the other side of the door, that lets someone know that she's not alone," the woman said.
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