ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo. — A St. Louis man was convicted in St. Louis County Circuit Court Thursday of rape, domestic assault and multiple other crimes in connection with a 2020 attack.
A jury convicted Christopher Russell, 31, of rape, two counts of sodomy, four counts of domestic assault, one count of burglary and three counts of armed criminal action in connection with the August 2020 incident.
Last year, a woman told police she was raped, strangled, bit and shoved by Russell, her ex-boyfriend. Investigators at the time said there was physical evidence on her to prove it.
Prosecutors issued at-large warrants for Russell. He was later arrested in Dallas.
The woman told police she woke up at 4 a.m. on Aug. 19 to find Russell in her bedroom with a gun. She said the violence started with him forcing her to cut off her own hair at gunpoint. From there, the attack became more violent.
In the probable cause statement, she described a series of acts in which she was forced to perform sexual acts on him and on herself, all while having a gun pointed at her. She said Russell raped her and verbally threatened to shoot her.
She said she was pistol-whipped in the head and face. She told St. Louis County police Russell strangled her to the point of dizziness and she had difficulty breathing. She said he shoved her and bit her.
A rape kit was performed, and officers said there was a bite mark and bruising all over the victim’s body, along with injuries on her face, mouth and eye.
Sentencing is set for Dec. 29.
