Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Patrol Operations Bureau
Investigative Operations Bureau
- Robbery & Homicide Unit

United States Marshals Service

The victim is a 57-year-old woman. Per Florida Statute 119.071(2)(h)(1)(b) no further details will be released that would tend to identify the victim.

Asa-Corey Owens (Arrested)
DOB: 07/09/1991
Address: 2117 Lakewood Club Drive South, St. Petersburg.
Charges: One count of Sexual Battery and one count of Burglary with Battery.

What:
Detectives assigned to the Robbery & Homicide Unit have arrested a man they say broke into a home and sexually battered a woman in unincorporated St. Petersburg.

When:
The crimes occurred at about 4:21 a.m. on September 19, 2018.

Where:
The incident occurred at a private residence in unincorporated St. Petersburg.

Why/How:
Detectives assigned to the Robbery & Homicide Unit have a arrested a man they say broke into a home and sexually battered a woman in unincorporated St. Petersburg.

According to detectives, deputies received a 911 call at about 4:21 a.m. on September 19, 2018, at a private residence in unincorporated St. Petersburg, regarding a report of a burglary and a sexual battery.

When deputies arrived they made contact with the victim, a 57-year-old woman who lived alone in the residence.

The victim was transported to a local hospital for serious non-life threatening injuries.

The victim told detectives that she was alone in her apartment, sleeping on the couch in her living room when she was awoken to someone forcefully pushing her face down into a pillow.

The subject struck the victim in the head multiple times and then sexually battered the victim by force. At one point during the attack, the suspect choked the victim and told her he would slit the victim’s throat.

Afterwards, the suspect walked out the front door of the victim’s apartment and the victim called 911.

The victim told detectives she did not know the attacker and she provided a limited description of the suspect.

Detectives believe the suspect may have entered the victim’s apartment through an unlocked front door. 

During the investigation, evidence was collected, processed and submitted for analysis.

Through various investigative techniques, detectives obtained DNA evidence that confirmed 27-year-old Asa-Corey Owens was the suspect.

Detectives learned that Owens lives in St. Petersburg. They also learned that Owens traveled to the Carolina’s shortly after the crime, to work with a tree trimming company.

A Pinellas County arrest warrant was issued for Owens.

At about 4:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 27, 2018, members of the United States Marshals Service located Owens and arrested him near Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Detectives interviewed Owens and charged him with one count of Sexual Battery and one count of Burglary with Battery.

Owens will be extradited back to Pinellas County to face criminal charges.

The investigation continues.

A recent booking photo of Owens was unavailable at the time of this release.

2017 booking photo of Owens