RUPERT W.Va. (WVDN) – According to a criminal complaint, on September 20, an officer was dispatched to the vicinity of Rupert in Greenbrier County for reports of a woman screaming for help, and a man also yelling inside a residence.
With assistance from another officer, both reportedly approached the residence and knocked multiple times with no response. One of the officers then observed through a window a woman sitting on a bed and allegedly sobbing. The criminal complaint states that the officer then advised the woman to step outside.
When she got outside, the victim reportedly said that her long-time boyfriend and cohabitant, identified as Gary Rutherford, was in the residence and allegedly became angry when she refused to have sex with him. According to the criminal complaint, the victim reported that they refused the advances of Rutherford because of uncertainty around the number of sexual partners Rutherford may have had.
The victim reportedly stated that Rutherford became enraged, which led to a physical altercation. According to the criminal complaint, Rutherford assaulted the victim by grabbing her chest and neck, slapping her, and pinning her against the wall. The victim allegedly went on to say that Rutherford also threatened her with bodily harm.
The officers noted that the victim was very emotional, scared, and had fresh red marks on her throat and neck, matching what she had told them. The victim showed fear that Rutherford would return and harm her. She also stated that such incidents happen around one to two times per week over a long time, she reportedly told the officers. Rutherford was found nearby and taken into custody.
At the time of publishing, Rutherford is incarcerated at Southern Regional Jail with bail set at $3,000.
