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Juvenile arrested for kidnapping woman, forcing her into his trunk Save Email Print
Posted: 11:18 AM May 16, 2008
Last Updated: 7:12 PM May 16, 2008

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WVLT) -- A Knox County teen is accused of beating, kidnapping, and stuffing an elderly Knox County woman in her car trunk last.

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services says 17-year-old David Ryan Pulley has been on the run from them six months.

No Pulley's charged with attempted first degree murder, kidnapping, burglary and robbery.

He's also charged with a violation of a court order, from when he ran away from state custody.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office says Pulley broke into 87-year-old Dorothy Clark's home Thursday.

Court documents say he severely beat Clark, made her undress, and tied her to a chair with her phone cord.

The papers say Pulley covered her with bleach and tried to set her on fire.

The documents say then, at knife-point, he stuffed in her car trunk, drove to a wooded area, and slit her throat.

Knoxville police say that's when Pulley drove to a friend's house on Dewine Steet around 6:30 p.m.

"The way he said it, 'we killed an old lady.' He kept using the word old lady."

The friend didn't want her name used or face shown, but she thought Pulley was joking. That's when he opened the trunk.

"She raised her arm, up and like she was trying to roll over to look. And he slammed the trunk shut."

The friend called 911, and she asked Pulley to leave Clark at her home, but pulley took off.

"I just think it might have been some higher power, bringing him here. That's what I believe. That's the only thing keeping me going."

Sheriff's deputies found Clark inside the car trunk on Henson Road.

Pulley turned himself Thursday night at Clark's home.

Police say he has no violent history.

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services says he'd served time with them for theft, but ran away from a group home six months ago.

Clark's currently at UT Medical Center.

The Knox County Sheriff's Office says she's expected to survive.

Pulley's being held at the Knox County Juvenile Detention Center until his next hearing.

That will decide if he'll be tried as an adult or a minor.

KPD says Pulley knew Clark, but wouldn't go into details.

Police do say Pulley did some work for Clark previously.

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KNOXVILLE, Tenn (WVLT) -- What Knox County deputies say began as a home invasion, turned into a violent crime and kidnapping, with the juvenile suspect forcing an elderly woman into the trunk of his car.

Knox County Sheriff's Department spokesperson Ashley Carrigan tells Volunteer TV News, Knoxville Police officers found the woman inside the trunk of the abandoned vehicle, and called deputies.

The woman was transported to U.T. Medical Center for treatment of her injuries. Carrigan says she is expected to survive.

Deputies then traced the crime back to the woman's home in Northwest Knox County. Inside they say they found evidence of a home invasion, and David Ryan Pulley, 17, turned himself in at the woman's home Thursday.

Pulley has been charged with attempted first degree murder, especially aggravated kidnapping, especially aggravated burglary,and especially aggravated robbery. He has not yet been arraigned. He has also been charged with violation of a court order by running away from state custody.

The Tennessee Department of Children's Services says Pulley was on the run from DCS when the alleged assault happened.

He's spent time in DCS custody for theft before running away from the Johnson City Group Home on Nov. 29, 2007. He's was on the loose until his arrest Thursday.

DCS says Pulley didn't have a history of violence or aggression.

Carrigan says they are withholding the name of the victim and where she lived to protect her identity.

She declined further comment on the nature of the victim's injuries.

There's a hearing set for June 3 to determine if Pulley will be tried as an adult. Due to the seriousness of the alleged crimes, and his history as a runaway, Pulley will be held at the juvenile detention center until the hearing.

Stay connected to Volunteer TV News and volunteertv.com for continued coverage of this developing news story.

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Posted by: Timbo Location: Blaine, TN on May 17, 2008 at 11:15 PM
Seems to me that this individual has a tendency to become a career criminal and maybe a violent one even though he doesn't have a history of violent crimes. He needs to be tried as an adult and dealt with in that manner for the crimes he committed! We don't need scumbags like that running around on our streets!

Posted by: The Witness Location: Knoxville on May 17, 2008 at 04:20 AM
What a shocker. DCS fails another child.

Posted by: bob Location: knoxville on May 16, 2008 at 05:19 PM
lock him up for life. never to be released to harm people again

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