Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Man accused of fatally stabbing his neighbor - then raping the victim’s wife and daughter

Timothy Ernest Legard now faces several charges that carry a punishment of life in prison

Alex Lang
Sunday 22 September 2024 04:41 BST
Timothy Ernest Legard is accused of killing his neighbor and then sexually assaulting the victim’s wife and daughter.
Timothy Ernest Legard is accused of killing his neighbor and then sexually assaulting the victim’s wife and daughter. (Oakland County jail)

A man is accused of fatally stabbing his neighbor then raping the victim’s wife and daughter in a “horrific” attack.

Timothy Ernest Legard, 50, now faces 11 felony counts including first-degree murder, two counts of kidnapping, and first-degree criminal sexual conduct.

Legard was neighbors with the unidentified victims in Pontiac, Michigan, according to Fox 2 Detroit. Police say that around 6am on September 18, Legard went to the house and met the man as he was helping his daughter get ready for school.

Legard then stabbed the victim. The suspect went into the home where he sexually assaulted both the man’s wife and daughter, according to the report.

The two victims escaped the home and ran to another house to call 911.

Timothy Ernest Legard is accused of killing his neighbor and then sexually assaulting the victim’s wife and daughter.
Timothy Ernest Legard is accused of killing his neighbor and then sexually assaulting the victim’s wife and daughter. (Oakland County jail)

Police arrived and found the man dead in the driveway with a stab wound to the chest. Authorities found Legard walking nearby and he was arrested.

No motive has been released in the case.

"There’s going to be a lifetime of emotional scars from this," Oakland County Sheriff Michael Bouchard said, according to Fox 2. "I don’t know how you get over that kind of assault, that kind of absolute victimization of these two completely innocent people."

Legard is being held in jail pending an arraignment hearing.

"This was an absolutely brutal and horrific attack on a family," Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said. "First-degree Murder, first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and kidnapping are life offenses, and they are the most serious charges my office brings.”

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in