LCPD: Man attempted to strangle woman he had just met at Walgreens

A man is behind bars, accused of violently attacking a woman he had just met at a Walgreens over a period of four hours, said Las Cruces Police.

Paul Gregory Wallace, 54, is charged with “assault with intent to commit a violent felony” and “aggravated battery causing great bodily harm.”

Investigators said Wallace met the woman on Wednesday, March 6, 2019 at a local Walgreens store. Wallace and the woman struck up a conversation about marijuana and then went to the woman’s home on West Picacho Avenue, where they proceeded to smoke and drink alcoholic beverages, police said.

When a friend of the woman’s left the home about 1:30 p.m., Wallace allegedly began making inappropriate sexual comments and threatened to cause harm to the woman, police said.

Wallace then physically attacked the woman by strangling her, suffocated her by placing his hands over her face and attempted to remove her clothing, police said. The woman told investigators she believes the attack lasted about four hours until she was able to flee the residence. A neighbor who saw the woman in distress called 911.

When police arrived at the home, Wallace allegedly locked himself inside the woman’s residence. The officers eventually entered the residence and took Wallace into custody.

Wallace was booked into the Dona Ana County Detention Center where he’s initially being held without bond.