VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. - A man charged with breaking into two homes, raping one woman and assaulting another, has been found guilty by a Virginia Beach
Shannon Cousett
Circuit Court judge.
47-year-old Shannon Cousett was found guilty of rape, abduction, assault and battery, burglary with intent to rape and burglary with intent to assault.
Back in August of 2016, police were called to the Indigo 19 Apartments where a woman reported a man broke into her house and beat her. She testified in court that he punched her several times in the face before she was able to get to her door and he then ran out.
The victim described the man to police as a tall black man with scruff, in his 40s or 50s wearing dark clothes and a white draw string bag/backpack.
Police responded to the area but did not see the suspect and upon canvassing a surrounding area a white bag, matching this description, was found on a bench near the Virginia Beach Convention Center.
The officer testifying said the bag had blood on it and inside were toiletries, men's clothes and Shannon Cousett's ID card.
Subsequently, another woman reported being raped by a man with the same description, wearing a white bag. The woman said she was asleep and woke up to the man on top of her and when she started screaming he ran out. That woman lived at Seahaven Apartments, walking distance to the Indigo 19 Apartments.
The Convention Center is also only about a half mile from the apartment location where the victim was beaten.
Upon looking at court records, News 3 has learned that Cousett has several previous charges related to being a peeping tom and burglary.
He is scheduled to be sentenced on April 24th at 9:30 a.m.
