DAYTON — A man was looking for his lost dog when police say he stopped a rape.
[DOWNLOAD: Free WHIO-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]
On Tuesday, Travis Underwood said he was looking for his runaway dog, Picasso, behind his house on Burkhardt Avenue.
“I left the gate open, so he’d have a chance to come back,” Underwood said.
When he noticed someone had closed his gate, he went to investigate.
What he found made him physically ill.
“It made me start crying and throw up,” he said. “It was just a hard thing to even realize, like, ‘is this really happening? Is this really going on?’”
Dayton police say it was a rape.
TRENDING STORIES:
- Man still hospitalized; Body camera footage shows him getting tased by officer during chase
- 9-month-old boy critically injured after possible foul play, police say
- $50K winning scratch-off ticket sold at Ohio Walmart
Underwood broadcast live on social media as he confronted the suspect and took his keys so he couldn’t get away.
His friend called 911.
The victim was a woman in a van with several developmentally disabled adults in it.
Court documents said she “requires 24-hour care” and is a Graceworks Lutheran Services patient.
Police said she was in the care of the suspect, Anthony Alcorn.
News Center 7 confirmed Alcorn was working as a transport driver for Graceworks.
The agency helps adults with developmental disabilities.
Graceworks said in a statement that they fired Alcorn immediately:
“Graceworks is aware of a serious reported crime involving one of our employees and an individual within our Enhanced Living community. We want to be clear that we are taking this matter extremely seriously. The employee was taken into custody and immediately terminated. We are outraged by the information we have received to this point, and we are cooperating fully with law enforcement to ensure this investigation is handled swiftly, and that the suspect is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Graceworks takes the safety, dignity, and well-being of those in our care very seriously and we are committed to taking every measure necessary to ensure this remains our highest priority.”
A judge told Alcorn Thursday that he’s facing charges of rape, kidnapping, and gross sexual imposition.
Underwood’s neighbors are praising him.
“I’ve been here 18 years now. And everybody says what a bad neighborhood, but I have good neighbors here. They watch out for each other,” Kathy Shiverdecker said.
Underwood said he was just doing the right thing.
“She couldn’t even protect herself. You got to look out for people that can’t defend (themselves),” he said.
The judge told Alcorn he needs half a million dollars to get out of jail.
If he comes up with that money, he’ll be on house arrest with a GPS ankle monitor.
He pleaded “not guilty” and two of his family members told News Center 7, “no comment” at court.
[SIGN UP: WHIO-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]
©2025 Cox Media Group
