Suspect arraigned in beating of Oregon woman

10/15/2012

Cameo Pettaway was ordered to be held in the Lucas County jail today after arraignment in Oregon Municipal Court.

Mr. Pettaway, who was acquitted in the aggravated murder trial of a Springfield Township couple in July, was ordered to be held in lieu of $75,000 bond on one count of felonious assault.

Oregon police arrested the suspect, 23, Sunday for the alleged assault of his live-in girlfriend, Sarah Rupert, 26, at an Oregon residence.

Police said officers were called at about 8 a.m. Ms. Rupert, who was in an upstairs bedroom when she was assaulted while in bed, managed to crawl downstairs to call police. Officers found Mr. Pettaway in bed when they arrived.

Police said Ms. Rupert, who suffered significant injuries to her face, was taken to Mercy St. Charles Hospital. A spokesman said the hospital did not have a patient by that name.

Mr. Pettaway was acquitted in July by Lucas County Common Pleas Judge James Bates for lack of evidence in the slayings of Lisa Straub and Johnny Clarke.

The ruling was issued after a jury heard 3½ days of testimony but before the trial got to the jury deliberation stage.

Mr. Pettaway and co-defendant Samuel Williams, 24, were each charged with aggravated murder in connection with the deaths.

After his release, he was taken into custody and sent to Wood County on an outstanding misdemeanor warrant from Perrysburg Municipal Court.

Williams, 24, was convicted of two counts of aggravated murder, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of aggravated burglary.

He was also found guilty of capital specifications attached to the murder charges.