Seattle Police arrest man accused of attempted rape, robbery in Madison Valley
Update 12/1:
SEATTLE - Seattle Police have arrested a man who was wanted for attempted rape and robbery he allegedly committed while he was still in the custody of the Department of Corrections (DOC) under a work release program.
31-year-old Jordan Alexander was arrested on Dec. 1 in the 1300 block of NE 43rd Street in the University District. He was booked into the King County Jail for first-degree robbery and first-degree rape.
Prosecutors argued that he be held on $300,000 bail.
Previous coverage 9/13:
Investigators need help finding a man accused of attempting to rape and rob a Seattle business owner in the Madison Valley neighborhood.
According to Seattle Police, the suspect is 33-year-old Jordan Alexander, a convicted criminal who is known to police for wearing disguises.
Police say on Aug. 31, Alexander went into a business located on the 2800 block of East Madison Street.
Amber Myers, the owner of the business, sat at the front desk speaking with her father. She says the suspect was dressed like a construction worker and he pretended to drop off a package and then pulled out a knife. Myers says the attacker tried to rob her. Then, he allegedly took her into a back room at knifepoint and told her to lay on the ground.
"That's when he made it really clear that he had other intentions, and that shocked me because that had not crossed my mind yet, because I thought this was still a robbery," she said.
Myers tells FOX 13 News she tried to fight back, but was overpowered. Documents say Alexander held a knife to her collar bone and slammed her head to the ground.
"How do you get through something like this? Do you pray? Do you pretend you’re on the beach and think you're elsewhere? And then it’s, like, how do you cope with [it?] Do you just get it over with, and he’s gone, and it's over, or do you fight?" said Myers.
Myers says, luckily, a coworker came into the room and the attacker took off.
According to court documents, Alexander has a lengthy criminal history dating back to at least 2008.
In July of 2021, Alexander was sentenced to about 3.5 years in prison for three counts of robbery.
However, a year later, he was released into a work release program.
After about a month and a half at the work release program, Alexander escaped on Aug. 25, according to officials with the Department of Corrections.
Police say a few days later is when he tried to rape Myers.
"A dangerous rapist, in costumes, carrying bags of knives is terrifying for the neighborhood and the city. I know he said he would come back if I did this, but I think it’s worth the risk, so it doesn’t happen to anyone else," said Myers.
Alexander is described as a 33-year-old Black man, standing 6’1" with a slim build and a shaved head. At the time of the attack, police say he wore an orange shirt under a checkered, long-sleeved button-down shirt, an orange hat, jeans and black work boots.
Prosecutors have already rush-filed charges of first-degree robbery and first-degree attempted rape. They also argued for a $300,000 bail, given Alexander's history of violent crimes dating back to 2008, and his likelihood to skip court appointments.
Alexander has still not been taken into police custody.
Myers says people have seen him in the neighborhood following the attack.
Authorities note in other incidents, Alexander has tried to disguise himself with a head wrap, sunglasses and light-colored makeup. He is also known to frequent Capitol Hill around 27th and Madison, Pine and Broadway, 22nd and Madison and Cal Anderson Park.
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He should be considered armed and dangerous. Do not approach if you see him. Call 911 and immediately after, submit an anonymous tip at CrimeStoppers.com or via the P3Tips app on your mobile phone. You could receive up to $1,000 if your information leads to an arrest and charges.