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Two more women describe being sexually assaulted as first week of Rodhouse trial ends – Muddy River News
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Two more women describe being sexually assaulted as first week of Rodhouse trial ends – Muddy River News

WARNING: This story includes depictions of explicit violence and sexually explicit content that may be considered profane, vulgar or offensive to some readers. Reader discretion is advised.

PITTSFIELD, Ill. — Another woman testified Friday morning during Austin Rodhouse’s trial about how Austin gave her “massages” as a child. However, this woman also said she later had vaginal sex with Rodhouse when she was 10 years old.

Another victim testified that when she dated Rodhouse for about three months when she was 18, she left him after he forced her to have anal sex. When she refused to continue doing this, he threatened to call her younger sister and eventually rape her.

A jury of eight women and four men heard testimony during the fourth day of the five-day trial in Pike County Circuit Court before Judge Charles HW Burch.

Rodhouse, who turns 31 this month, is on trial for 19 domestic violence and sex offences.

  • 3 counts of aggravated domestic battery, a class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in the Illinois Department of Corrections.
  • 1 count of criminal sexual assault involving force, a Class 1 felony punishable by four to 15 years in prison.
  • 4 counts of felony predatory sexual assault of a child, a Class X felony punishable by six to 60 years in prison.
  • 3 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault, a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison.
  • 2 counts of child pornography, a Class X felony punishable by six to 30 years in prison.
  • 3 counts of indecent solicitation of an adult, a class 2 felony punishable by three to seven years in prison.
  • 3 counts of aggravated battery on a child, a class 3 felony punishable by two to five years in prison.

The first victim to testify Friday, identified here as JaneDoe4, said she met Rodhouse when they were in high school. He contacted her via Facebook Messenger in May 2016. When she started dating him, JaneDoe4 said Rodhouse was “cute”.

“He was very friendly and well put together,” she said.

Eventually, he moved into a house in Bowling Green, Mo., where Rodhouse lived with three friends. Those friends kicked him out, so they moved to JaneDoe4’s grandmother’s house about 30 miles away.

Things changed quickly in the relationship. JaneDoe4 said Rodhouse displayed jealous behavior, called her names and wanted her to dress a certain way – not overdress. He also started telling her to lose weight.

“He felt I would be more attractive if I lost weight,” she said.

She claimed that Rodhouse would only give her what she called “a child’s portion” of a meal. If he wanted more, they would shame him and call his name. JaneDoe4 said she lost about 40 pounds in three months.

She said that if they were working places with other men, Rodhouse would go “throwing down” and fight with them. She was told not to talk to male colleagues. She also said that when she received a check, Rodhouse would cash it and spend all the money.

Rodhouse wanted to have anal sex, but JaneDoe4 refused. Once, when they had vaginal sex, he put his penis in her anus and said, “Oops, it was an accident.”

“He wanted sex when he wanted sex, whether I wanted it or not,” she said.

After Rodhouse threatened to rape her sister, JaneDoe4 said she remembered going to her grandmother’s house to find Rodhouse there with her sister. When Assistant State’s Attorney Leecia Carnes asked her what she did, JaneDoe4 said, “I would just have sex with him.”

The relationship ended after three months when her grandmother and a friend intervened. JaneDoe4 said Rodhouse stopped by the house frequently over the next two months.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Casey Schnack asked if he sought a restraining order or reported Rodhouse’s driving past the house to police. JaneDoe4 said she didn’t because she believed a previous sexual assault “wasn’t handled properly” by local law enforcement.

Judge Charles HW Burch | Pool photo by David Adam, Muddy River News

The second victim to testify Friday, identified here as JaneDoe5, said Rodhouse touched her vagina during one of his massages for the first time when she was 8 or 9 years old. That eventually led to intercourse when he was in “third or fourth grade.” She claimed that Rodhouse had sex with her in the woods after they went on a four-wheeler and it also happened in her mother’s garage.

“I told her not to,” JaneDoe5 said. “He ignored it.”

“Despite the fact that Austin sexually abused you as a child, you continued to interact with him as an adult?” Carnes asked.

After JaneDoe5 said yes, Carnes asked why.

“I wanted to believe it would get better,” she replied.

During cross-examination, defense attorney Casey Schnack asked if JaneDoe5 would occasionally get lost and not remember things.

“When I’m sexually abused, yes,” JaneDoe 5 replied.

“Would you miss or not remember things when you use drugs?” Schnack said.

This led to an unsafe exchange when JaneDoe5 said she “self-medicated” to cope with sexual abuse and abused Xanax after the death of a family member. She said she spent three years in rehab.

“You and Austin haven’t had a great relationship in the past. You probably don’t care about him and he doesn’t really care about you either. Right?” Schnack asked.

“That’s not true,” said JaneDoe5.

“Do you have a grudge against him?” Schnack asked.

“No,” said JaneDoe5.

“Do you love him?” Schnack asked.

“Yes, and I forgive him,” said JaneDoe5.

Dr. Eric Fynn-Thompson, a plastic surgeon at Quincy Medical Group, told the jury how he saw a tear on Rodhouse’s wife’s ring finger, identified in court documents as “CC.” He said he did a custom split to help the finger heal. He said if the finger had not been treated, CC would have been dealing with a “long-term” injury.

Jennifer Ratcliff, a nurse at Blessing Hospital in Quincy, said she admitted CC to the hospital on May 7 after doctors at Illini Community Hospital determined she had ruptured her spleen. She said Rodhouse answered most questions and prevented medical staff from removing her pants or underwear to examine her.

Dr. Stephen Liesen, a dentist in Barry, testified that an X-ray of CC’s jaw taken on May 8th showed that a previous fracture of the mandible (lower jaw) had healed and callused.

Testimony is expected to resume at 9 a.m. Monday. Rodhouse, a native of Pleasant Hill, pleaded not guilty to all charges. His wife is expected to testify on Monday.