Two more women describe how they were sexually assaulted as the first week of Rodhouse trial ended – Muddy River News

WARNING: This story contains descriptions of graphic violence and explicit sexual content that some readers may find profane, vulgar or offensive. Reader discretion is advised.

PITTSFIELD, Ill. – Another woman testified Friday morning at Austin Rodhouse’s trial about how he gave her “Austin massages” when she was a child. However, this woman also said that she later had vaginal sex with Rodhouse when she was 10 years old.

Yet another victim testified that when she dated Rodhouse for about three months at age 18, she then left him after he forced her to have anal sex. When she refused to go through with it, he threatened to call her younger sister and eventually rape her.

A jury of eight women and four men heard testimony during the fourth day of the five-day trial in Pike County Circuit Court before Judge Charles HW Burch.

Rodhouse, who turns 31 this month, is on trial for 19 domestic violence and sex-related offences.

• 3 counts of aggravated domestic battery, a Class 2 felony with a sentence range of three to seven years according to the Illinois Department of Corrections.
• 1 count of Criminal Assault Involving Violence, a Class 1 Felony with a penalty range of four to 15 years in prison.
• Four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child, a Class
• 3 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, a class
• 2 counts of child pornography, a class
• 3 counts of indecent solicitation of an adult, a class 2 felony with a penalty range of three to seven years in prison.
• 3 counts of aggravated battery on a child, a class 3 felony punishable by two to five years in prison.

The first victim to testify Friday, identified here as JaneDoe4, said she met Rodhouse when they were in high school. He contacted her via Facebook Messenger in May 2016. When she started dating him, JaneDoe4 said Rodhouse was “nice.”

“He was very friendly and well put together,” she said.

She eventually moved to a house in Bowling Green, Missouri, where Rodhouse lived with three friends. Those friends eventually kicked him out, so they moved to JaneDoe4’s grandmother’s house, about 30 miles away.

Things quickly changed in the relationship. JaneDoe4 said Rodhouse exhibited jealous behavior, called her names and wanted her to dress a certain way – not overdressed. He also started telling her to lose weight.

“He thought I would be more attractive if I lost weight,” she said.

She claimed Rodhouse would only give her what she called “a child’s portion” of a meal. If she wanted more, he would shame her and call her names. JaneDoe4 said she lost about 40 pounds in three months.

She said if she teamed up with other men, Rodhouse would throw a fit and fight them. She was told not to talk to the male colleagues. She also said that when she received a check, Rodhouse would cash it and spend all the money.

Rodhouse wanted to have anal sex, but JaneDoe4 refused. Once they had vaginal sex, he finally put his penis in her anus and said, “Oops, that was an accident.”

“He wanted sex when he wanted sex, whether I wanted it or not,” she said.

After Rodhouse threatened to rape her sister, JaneDoe4 said she remembered going to her grandmother’s house to find Rodhouse there with her sister. When Assistant State’s Attorney Leecia Carnes asked her what she was doing, JaneDoe4 said, “I would just have sex with him.”

The relationship ended after three months when her grandmother and a friend intervened. JaneDoe4 said Rodhouse drove by the house regularly over the next two months.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Casey Schnack asked whether she had requested a restraining order or reported to police that Rodhouse was driving by the house. JaneDoe4 said she did not do so because she believed a previous sexual assault was “not handled appropriately” by local law enforcement authorities.

The second victim who testified Friday, identified here as JaneDoe5, said Rodhouse first touched her vagina during one of his massages when she was 8 or 9 years old. That eventually led to sexual intercourse when she was in “third or fourth grade.” She claimed that Rodhouse had sex with her in the woods after they rode a four-wheeler, and that it also happened in her mother’s garage.

“I told him not to do it,” JaneDoe5 said. “He ignored it.”

“Despite the fact that Austin sexually abused you as a child, you continued to associate with him as an adult?” Carnes asked.

After JaneDoe5 said yes, Carnes asked why.

“I wanted to believe he would get better,” she replied.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Casey Schnack asked if JaneDoe5 would occasionally black out and not remember things.

“If I am sexually abused, yes,” JaneDoe 5 responded.

“Would you black out or not remember things if you took drugs?” Schnack said.

That led to a heated exchange when JaneDoe5 said she had been “self-medicating” to cope with sexual abuse, and that she abused Xanax after the death of a family member. She said she spent three years in rehab.

“In the past, you and Austin haven’t had a great relationship. You probably don’t care about him, and he doesn’t really care about you either. Right?” Schnack asked.

“That’s not true,” said JaneDoe5.

“Do you have any anger towards him?” Schnack asked.

“I don’t do that,” said JaneDoe5.

“Do you love him?” Schnack asked.

“Yes, and I forgive him,” JaneDoe5 said.

Dr. Eric Fynn-Thompson, a plastic surgeon at Quincy Medical Group, told the jury how he noticed a fracture in Rodhouse’s wife’s ring finger, identified in court documents as “CC.” He said he made a custom split to help the finger heal. He said if the finger had not been treated, CC would have suffered a “long-term” injury.

Jennifer Ratcliff, a nurse at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, said she admitted CC to the hospital on May 7 after doctors at Illini Community Hospital determined she had ruptured her spleen. She said Rodhouse answered most questions and prevented medical staff from removing her pants or underwear to examine her.

Dr. Stephen Liesen, a dentist from Barry, testified that an X-ray of C.C.’s jaw taken on May 8 showed that a previous fracture of her lower jaw had healed and become calloused.

Testimony is expected to resume at 9 a.m. Monday. Rodhouse, a Pleasant Hill native, has pleaded not guilty to all charges. His wife is expected to testify on Monday.