He followed women home from NJ stores to rape them, prosecutor says
A Howell man remains behind bars awaiting trial on charges that he attempted to rob and rape three women he spotted at shopping centers on separate occasions.
Monmouth County prosecutors say Tristan Reyes, 19, followed women from stores to their homes. Investigators say that he intended on robbing and raping two of the women with a knife but was never successful.
In one case in Howell in March, Reyes, disguised in a hood and ski mask, attempted to break into a home while the woman unloaded groceries.
The woman's Rottweiler, however, ran out of the home and chased the man to his van.
Police said the robber was recorded by the home’s surveillance camera. The footage also shows the man hiding behind his van when the woman comes out of the house.
Police also said Reyes followed an 18-year-old township woman from ShopRite on Feb. 24.
The woman said she called her father after noticing a van following her car no matter which turns she took. She said the van stopped after she pulled over. Police said the man took off after the woman's father arrived and tried to confront him.
Investigators believe Reyes has followed other women at Freehold Raceway Mall.
He was arrested on March 9 and remains behind bars.
A Monmouth County grand jury indicted Reyes on a total of 13 counts of first-degree attempted armed robbery, first-degree attempted aggravated sexual assault, second-degree attempted burglary, third-degree weapons charges for a knife and third-degree attempted burglary.
His attorney, Anthony Alfano, of Lyndhurst, did not immediately return a request for comment Friday.