THOMASVILLE — As a 40-year-old woman slept at her Edgewood Drive home during predawn hours on Monday, Jan. 4, someone entered her home through an unlocked door and raped her.

On Monday, Fredric Wallice Jones III was charged with the Edgewood rape, and with raping a woman at her home early Monday in the 300 block of North Hansell Street after breaking down her kitchen door.

The Edgewood victim provided police with a description of the assailant.

Meanwhile, the woman received harassing texts detectives believed were being sent by the assailant. The rapist had somehow gotten the victim’s cell phone number and called her, said Lt. Toby Knifer, Thomasville Police Department Criminal Investigations Division commander.

The investigation led to the 700 block of Oak Street where Jones lived in the Faircloth housing project. Knifer said that although the investigation led to the housing project, it did not specify a residence.

Jones was arrested at his residence within an hour after the North Hansell victim notified police. The 32-year-old suspect also is charged with stealing the woman’s cell phone.

Soon after the rape, the Monday investigation led to Jones’ housing project apartment. He ran and was captured by three TPD detectives.

Knifer said that during an interview of Jones on Monday, detectives connected the suspect with the Edgewood rape.

Jones knew where the woman worked and stalked her before and after the rape, the commander said.

“We knew Jones is prone to prowl and stalk his victims,” he added.

Detectives saw similarities at the two rape scenes, said Knifer, who declined to reveal the similarities.

“The scene tells us a story,” he said.

As a result of the Monday interview, detectives charged Jones with the recent theft of two purses from a woman’s Crawford Street residence. The purses were found under a nearby house.

Detectives are looking into whether Jones was involved in three prowler reports in recent days.

“He’s known to do that,” Knifer said, “We’re trying to see if he’s involved in any of them.”

Recent prowler reports are:

• Parnell Street — 7:40 p.m. Saturday

• Tucwal Street — 9:20 p.m. Sunday

• Hunters Chase Circle — 12:44 a.m. Monday.

The North Hansell rape was reported about 7 a.m. Monday.

In late 2019, residents of the Myrtle Drive area — near Edgewood — made repeated prowler reports. Someone also was ringing doorbells.

Knifer said police thought the culprit was casing places to commit future burglaries.

Police increased night patrols in the area. Jones was eventually caught and charged with loitering and prowling.

“He’s a dangerous threat to the community.,” Knifer said. “We have been able to remove him from the street.” 

Senior reporter Patti Dozier can be reached at (229) 226-2400, ext. 1820