Police arrest homeless man for kidnapping and sex crimes

Friday afternoon, March 2nd, Patrolman Sean Canning was called to the Red Carpet Inn located at 3101 North Ponce De Leon Boulevard to investigate a call that a woman had been beaten in one of the motel rooms.

Officer Johnathan Brown was first to arrive on the scene.  He informed Canning that the victim was being transported to Flagler Hospital for treatment of multiple injuries.  Canning contacted the victim at the emergency room.

Upon arrival, Canning says he immediately noticed multiple facial injuries and bruises including injuries to her right ear, multiple bruises on her face, the front and back of her neck, the front of her left shoulder, as well as some bruises on her lower abdomen.

Officer Canning reported to Historic City News that the incident resulting in the victim’s beating took place on Tuesday, February 27th.  The victim told police that 49-year-old Charles Marshall, reportedly homeless, began beating her when she attempted to leave the motel room.  She stated that Marshall struck her multiple times with both fists in the mouth, ear, and head.  The victim attempted to defend herself from the attack by covering her ear and head; however, according to her sworn statement, Marshall put his hands around her neck to further restrain her.  She explained to Canning that Marshall slapped her multiples times, very hard, on the side of her head.

Photographs were taken at the emergency room of all the still visible bruises and injuries, while Officer Brown observed blood inside the motel room and took additional photos at the scene.

Corporal Chris Miller found Marshall in the passenger seat of a vehicle parked near the Winn Dixie Marketplace located at 3501 North Ponce de Leon Boulevard.  Police detective Jeffrey Collins and Officer Brown assisted Corporal Miller in taking Marshall into custody and transporting him to the police station for questioning.  Marshall was found to be in possession of the victim’s cell phone and debit card.  Corporal Miller told the victim that he has her possessions and he is going to hold on to them for her.

Detective Samuel Panilag read the Miranda warning to Marshall before attempting to interview the defendant.  Marshall declined the interview.

The victim, however, gave a detailed account of events in the days prior to calling police.  She did not call law enforcement on the date of the incident because Marshall never left the hotel and she said that she was scared for her life.  Marshall had already been beating her and she was afraid that he would do it again.  Marshall left the hotel room a few minutes before her call to police Friday, so she said she was able to use the hotel room phone.

The victim advised police that Marshall had cocaine on the date of the first attack and he put some on his fingers.  Then, she reported that he put his fingers inside her vagina, against her will.  On Wednesday, February 28th, Marshall again put cocaine on his fingers, this time putting his fingers in her mouth, against her will.  She and Marshall did have sexual intercourse on Thursday, March 1st, according to her statement.

The victim reportedly told Marshall that “she deserved this” because she had sex with half of the St. Augustine transients and has had them in a hotel room before.

While at the Emergency Department, the decision was made by medical staff that the victim would be flown by air ambulance to Shands Trauma Center in Jacksonville due to the severity of her injuries.

Officer Canning returned to the St. Augustine Police Department, placed Marshall in the back of his patrol vehicle, and transported him to the St. Johns County Jail.  While in transit, Marshall made repeated, spontaneous statements calling the victim vulgar names.  He said, “she is a stupid crack whore!”, “that bitch is so stupid!”, and “I took care of business and that is what a man does!”.

Since October 2015, police in St Johns County have had made eight prior arrests of Marshall, including

Marshall has been charged with assault with intent to commit a felony, a third-degree felony, $5,000 bail.  He is also facing charges of aggravated battery causing bodily harm or disability, a second-degree felony, $20,000 bail, kidnapping and false imprisonment of an adult, a third-degree felony, $20,000 bail and sexual assault where the victim and attacker are both over 18-years-old, a first-degree felony, $100,000 bail.  He remains in custody; currently in lieu of $145,000 bail.