Police: Registered sex offender broke in Denton woman’s home, restrained and assaulted her
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A registered sex offender in Denton was arrested after a home invasion in the city Friday morning in which a woman was assaulted, restrained and cut with a knife, according to a news release from police.
Paul Merritt, 72, is accused by Denton police of breaking into the home of a woman and physically assaulting her Friday morning, according to the release. Police said the woman was restrained against her will for about two hours while she was threatened and cut with a knife during a struggle with her attacker.
Police said after Merritt fled the scene with her credit card and other property, the woman was able to free herself and call 911. She sustained minor physical injuries.
Investigators used interior home surveillance video to identify Merritt as the suspect and contacted and detained him Friday afternoon. He was wearing the same clothing as the suspect in the video, according to the release. He also had fresh scratches on his face indicative of a recent struggle.
After agreeing to speak with detectives, Merritt confessed to multiple crimes, police said. He told police he saw the woman at the store about two months ago and followed her, watching her at her home multiple times before on Friday breaking into the home and assaulting her, according to the release. Police said he also told investigators that he’d previously tried to break into her home.
Merritt also lied about his home address and didn’t comply with his sex offender registration requirements, according to police.
He faces charges of stalking, failure to comply with registration requirements with previous conviction, aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, unlawful restraint and burglary of a habitation with the intent to commit another felony.
He is being held at the Denton County Jail on $355,000 bond.
Police are asking anybody who has information about Merritt that might be relevant to detectives to call 940-349-8181.
This story was originally published November 19, 2022 at 3:13 PM.