Left: Isaac Ruiz (New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office). Right: Savannah Johnson doing physical therapy (Spotfund/Amanda Johnson).
A U.S. Marine “stewing” over a woman rejecting him broke into a North Carolina home where she was staying and paralyzed her from the neck down during a vicious strangulation attack, her family says.
“My niece called me and was screaming, ‘Savannah, Savannah, unconscious,'” said Amanda Johnson, mother of victim Savannah Johnson, in a recent interview with local NBC affiliate WECT.
Isaac Ruiz — a 2nd Marine Division member stationed at Camp Lejeune in Jacksonville, North Carolina — is charged with assault by strangulation, assault inflicting serious bodily injury, and first-degree burglary in connection with the June 14 attack in Wilmington.
According to Savannah Johnson’s family, the 22-year-old was set up on a double date with Ruiz and another couple. She did not reciprocate Ruiz’s romantic feelings toward her after the date, which her family believes was the motivation behind the alleged assault, Port City Daily reports.
“Obviously, he was stewing over that,” Savannah’s father, Ricky Johnson, told the local newspaper. “It’s quite shocking that it would go to this length just because she wasn’t interested in him.”
Police say Ruiz, 26, broke into the home where Savannah Johnson, who is from Michigan, was staying while on vacation. Ruiz allegedly pummeled and strangled Savannah Johnson before fleeing.
“The defendant unlawfully, willfully, and feloniously did assault Savannah Johnson and inflict physical injury, C5-C6 fracture with ligament injury, T2-T6 compression fracture, vertebral artery dissection, and narrowing of the internal corroded artery by strangulation and assaulting the victim,” an arrest warrant says.
The 2nd Marine Division confirmed to WECT that Ruiz, a mortarman assigned to the 1st Battalion, was arrested and charged in connection with the alleged attack. U.S. officials say the division has been fully cooperating with the investigation.
According to Port City Daily, the Johnson family launched a Spotfund online fundraiser following the alleged assault to help with Savannah’s recovery costs, and Ruiz was listed as the top donor with a contribution of $2,000.
A message included with the donation says, “Each day that passes you don’t realize how much stronger you are becoming. It will be over before you know it.”
Police declined to comment when asked if they were aware of the post.
According to the Johnson family, Savannah is currently paralyzed from the neck down and is undergoing physical therapy to try to walk again one day.
“She’s giving it her all,” Amanda Johnson told WECT.
The post Marine ‘stewing’ over woman rejecting him paralyzes her from the neck down, sends ominous ‘it will be over before you know it’ message to her family: Report first appeared on Law & Crime.
