Authorities in Plano are trying to determine whether a man accused in the brutal attack of one woman has done it before.
Detectives say they are concerned there may be more victims given the suspect’s criminal history and frequent activity on websites, both traditional dating applications and websites used by escorts/sex workers.
Detaron Lee Fenley, 37, is in jail on $1 million bond, charged with aggravated sexual assault. Plano police arrested Fenley on Oct. 3, accusing him of beating and slashing a woman with a serrated kitchen knife.
According to the probable cause affidavit, the alleged assault happened Sept. 24 at Studio 6 on Central Expressway in Plano. A woman came forward and reported the assault, telling detectives her assailant was someone she had never met before.
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They connected ‘on a personal ad and WhatsApp’ and agreed to meet at the hotel, according to the document.
According to the affidavit, moments after the woman allowed the suspect into her hotel room, he ‘quickly pulled a knife, grabbed her around the throat with his other arm, and put the knife to her neck and a finger to his lips (as to be quiet).’
The woman told police the suspect beat her and tried to bind her with orange tape. She said she begged for her life, telling the man she had children, according to documents.
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She said he started counting “1, 2, 3” while he had a serrated kitchen knife to her neck. The victim described the suspect’s ‘light almost green eyes that his eyes are captured in her mind forever.’ She says they struggled for about an hour, but she managed to crawl to the door to safety.
The woman’s friends took her to the hospital, where she was treated and released, according to police.
Investigators reportedly found a large amount of blood in the hotel room and a ‘significant amount of damage caused to the victim’s face,’ including ‘her eyes being swollen shut and stitches in her face.’
According to court documents, detectives have since gathered surveillance video, license plate reader, and cell phone data, as well as DNA evidence they say led them to Fenley.
Police also cross-referenced the suspect’s description and Fenley’s social media posts showing what he was wearing the day of the attack.
“From the physical evidence, the injuries sustained from our victim, we’re just thankful she’s still alive,” said Officer Andrae Smith of the Plano Police Department. “By the nature of his violence perpetrated on our victim, we don’t believe that this is his first act.”
NBC 5 has learned Fenley, an Allen resident, has had contact with police in Dallas and Grand Prairie for family violence and violating a protective order.
‘Additionally, he has an active protection order against him that expires on 9/15/2025,’ according to the affidavit.
Detectives have since discovered Fenley was a suspect in a 2020 sexual assault case in Dallas ‘where he used a dating application to meet the victim. In that case, the victim indicated she opened the door, the suspect forced his way in, grabbed her by the neck, forced her into the bedroom, struck her in the back of the head, covered her head with a pillow, held her face down, and sexually assaulted her,’ according to court documents.
Despite a DNA match, the victim in the 2020 case ‘would not cooperate with police.’
Plano police say the suspect’s ‘MO’ in the Dallas case ‘is similar to one used by the suspect in the Plano offense,' including tossing the victims' cell phone.
It is not clear if Fenley has hired an attorney.
Detectives released an image of Fenley’s vehicle, a blue BMW two-door sedan with black rims, urging anyone who has had concerning contact with Fenley to call Plano PD’s Special Victim’s Unit Tip-Line at 972-941-2044, regardless of where they met him.
“The relevance of what the occupation of these women is, it doesn’t matter. We’re going to investigate it regardless of what platform it came from,” said Smith. “This is someone’s daughter, someone’s sister, someone who knows someone.”
