A man was arrested in Marion County after deputies say he brutally attacked a woman, held her against her will, and caused thousands of dollars in damage to her home.
According to an arrest affidavit from the Marion County Sheriff’s Office, deputies responded to a home on Oct. 24 following a report that a woman covered in blood had shown up on a porch stating she had been beaten. The victim initially told a witness and responding deputies that someone had broken into her home and attacked her in her sleep, but later identified the suspect as her boyfriend, 24-year-old Gavin Parker Johnson.
When deputies arrived at the victim’s residence, they found signs of forced entry, blood on walls and furniture, and roughly an inch of standing water throughout the home. The bathroom and bedroom doors were broken, a fish tank was shattered, and the total damage was estimated at over $1,000. Johnson was found inside the home and taken into custody. Deputies observed scratches on his chest and arms, which he claimed came from the fish tank.
The victim was transported for medical evaluation. She later told investigators that the attack began late the previous night after she called Johnson’s grandfather out of concern for his behavior. She said Johnson became enraged, repeatedly struck her, and choked her several times until she lost consciousness. She also reported that he threatened to kill her if she contacted law enforcement and held her down when she tried to escape.
Henry said she eventually managed to break a window and flee the house around 2 a.m. Deputies said she had severe bruising to her arms, legs, and face, and both of her eyes were swollen—one completely shut.
Johnson was arrested and booked into the Marion County Jail with no bond. He faces multiple felony charges, including domestic battery by strangulation, false imprisonment, tampering with a witness, and felony criminal mischief, along with a misdemeanor count of simple battery.
The case has been submitted to the State Attorney’s Office for prosecution.
