Man charged in attempted rape

By Charles Bassett, NEWS 9

A man suspected of attacking an Edmond woman in July 2006, turned himself into police on Tuesday.

Eric McClendon was charged with attempted rape and burglary. Police believed the 23-year-old made his way into the woman's Kennedy Place apartment, where he tried to rape her.

"He had a towel over his head and he had cut our holes for the eyes," police spokesperson Glynda Chu said. "He basically just lunged at her and started beating her...she started screaming. He ripped her clothes; he was trying to rape her."

According to the police report, the woman managed to fight off the attacker.

Witnesses and police later found McClendon sitting in a truck nearby, police said.

McClendon was the maintenance man at the Kennedy Place Apartments, and police said they think he used his position to get a key to the woman's apartment.

"He had gone into the office, where he had access to all the keys," Chu said. "For whatever reason, he had targeted her."

Police were able to positively identify McClendon through a DNA match, and said he was still working at the apartment complex four months after the incident.

Police said there is no indication that McClendon is suspected in other assaults in the area.