A 22-year-old man was given seven life sentences Thursday for terrorizing a Roswell couple and raping the female victim during a 10-hour police standoff.
A Fulton County jury convicted Mr. Tyler Alexander Grogan of rape, aggravated sodomy and kidnapping with bodily injury, according to the district attorney’s office.
He was also convicted of false imprisonment, armed robbery, aggravated assault and weapons charges for the 2011 incident.
The series of terrifying events began on May 2 when Mr. Grogan showed up at the Roswell couple’ Grand Cirque Drive apartment, pretending to want to see the male victim’s brother who was an acquaintance, the district attorney’s spokeswoman Ms. Yvette Jones said.
Once inside, Mr. Grogan drew a weapon on the victim and his girlfriend and demanded “dope.” Mr. Grogan then struck the male victim in the face with the gun and robbed him of several hundred dollars.
In the meantime, another woman who hid in a bedroom closet was able to notify police of the robbery in progress, Ms. Jones said.
The apartment was soon surrounded by SWAT officers and Mr. Grogan attempted to escape once through a balcony window.
He retreated when he discovered the strong police presence, firing several shots at police before returning to the apartment where he held the couple hostage.
“At one point during the ten hour ordeal, Defendant Grogan cut a hole into a neighboring apartment, forcing his hostages into that unit as well,” Ms. Jones said.
“The neighbors were able to escape prior to Grogan’s access. Grogan eventually released the male hostage," she said. "The female was held inside and sexually assaulted at gunpoint.”
She escaped when the defendant fell asleep on the couch. He was apprehended by police who stormed the apartment following the woman’s escape.
Superior Court Judge Mr. Alford Dempsey sentenced Mr. Grogan to seven consecutive life sentences plus 270 years in prison consecutively for his brutal attack.
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