A man charged with rape is now accused of murdering his accuser after he was released from prison over coronavirus concerns, The Washington Post reports.
Ibrahim E. Bouaichi was indicted last year on charges that included rape, sodomy, strangulation and abduction, and was jailed without bond in Alexandria, Va. He had been accused of rape by Karla Dominguez last October and she testified about the crime in December.
But in April, Bouaichi’s lawyers argued the novel coronavirus put him and other inmates in danger, and a Circuit Court judge allowed for his release on $24,000 bond on the condition he stay confined to his Maryland home except for meeting with his lawyers or trial officials.
According to the Post, police say the 33-year-old returned to Alexandria on July 29 and shot and killed Dominguez outside her apartment.
He remained missing until Wednesday when he was spotted by police and engaged in a vehicle pursuit resulting in a car crash. As police went to arrest Bouaichi, they realized he had shot himself.
As of Thursday, Bouaichi remained alive but in grave condition. According to the Post, he has been charged with murder in Alexandria.
Alexandria Commonwealth’s Attorney Bryan Porter told The Post that normally those charged with violent crimes such as rape are denied bond because they are considered a danger, and prosecutors in the case had argued that he not be released on bond.
According to The Post, there is minimal information on Dominguez, a native of Venezuela with no family in the U.S. A GoFundMe was launched after her murder to help cover funeral costs.
Bouaichi had another run-in with police in May after authorities responded to a holdup alarm at a Wendy’s restaurant in Prince George’s county. He is accused of ramming his car into a K-9 officer’s vehicle during the encounter and was charged with first and second-degree assault as well as driving while intoxicated, multiple traffic charges and several other charges.
He was released from jail on May 11, but Alexandria officials were never alerted to the charges because it was a different county. Had Alexandria officials been aware, Bouaichi would have faced having his bond revoked.