California man allegedly slit teenager's throat after sexual assault: police

A central California man suspected of sexually assaulting a minor and slitting her throat in an apartment complex laundry room earlier this month has been arrested, police said this week.

Arthur Dean Knapp, 40, is being held in the Madera County Jail. He faces a variety of charges, including rape and attempted murder, according to jail records. Police in Chowchilla, a city of fewer than 20,000 people about 40 miles northwest of Fresno, arrested Knapp on Aug. 1 – the same day the crime was reported.

Chowchilla Police Chief Jeff Palmer identified Knapp as a suspect during a press conference on Tuesday, the same week Knapp was formally charged.

“I want to express the condolences of our department and city government to the victim and his family who endured such a tragic and cruel attack,” Palmer said during the press conference. “An attack perpetrated by a monster who should not have been allowed to roam our streets and should never be allowed to roam freely on any streets again.”

An attack occurred in the laundry room of the Chowchilla apartment complex

The brutal attack took place in a laundry room shared by residents of an apartment complex in Chowchilla.

Palmer, who described the attack as a crime of opportunity, said Knapp did not live in the apartment and it was unclear whether he had a previous relationship with the victim.

After the sexual assault, Knapp allegedly slit the teen's throat and left him for dead. But when the victim regained consciousness, the child was able to alert authorities before being treated and undergoing surgery at a nearby children's hospital, Palmer said.

“The attempt to take this victim's life was unsuccessful. The reason for this was because the suspect expected the victim to be weak,” Palmer said. “He miscalculated. In fact, the victim was strong enough to pull herself up and report what had happened.”

Investigators relied on witness testimony and DNA evidence from a rape kit provided to the U.S. Justice Department to link Knapp to the crime, Palmer said. Police officials said Tuesday that the young victim is recovering from injuries sustained in the attack and is expected to survive.

“We cannot allow cases like this to happen to our children,” Palmer said. “Cases like this in smaller towns like ours affect us all very personally.”

Knapp faces a life sentence without parole

If convicted, Knapp faces life in prison without parole, Madera County District Attorney Sally Moreno said Tuesday.

In addition to rape and attempted murder, Knapp is also accused of violating probation and assault with a deadly weapon.

In addition, Knapp's record contains previous convictions that could lead to a higher sentence, Moreno added.

“We are prepared to do whatever is necessary to ensure the safety of the community and to ensure justice,” Moreno told reporters.

Knapp was arraigned on Tuesday and entered a not guilty plea – standard procedure at this point in the criminal process. He is scheduled to appear in court for a preliminary hearing on Aug. 23, according to online court records.

Eric Lagatta covers breaking and trending news for USA TODAY. Reach him at [email protected]

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Arthur Dean Knapp accused of slitting throat and raping California child