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18-Year-Old Charged For Strangling A Homeless Mother Of Four To Death And Raping Her Corpse

James Arthur House confessed to his crimes during an interrogation.

An 18-year-old Baltimore man was arrested and charged with raping and strangling a homeless woman to death, according to Baltimore Police.

James Arthur House, was arrested on Monday for the crime, which took place last week in downtown Baltimore, reported the Baltimore Sun. During a press conference, Baltimore City Police Commissioner Kevin Davis said the 18-year-old allegedly confessed to the crimes during an interrogation by homicide detectives.

Police identified the victim as Jessica Gibson, 35, who had no fixed address. Gibson’s body was discovered on an access road on Wednesday morning, police said.

Although police believe Gibson and House may have had a relationship before the attack, the extent of their relationship remains unknown. Gibson, who had four children, was likely attacked on the access road behind Power Plant Live and the Port Discovery Children’s Museum, a very populated area in Downtown Baltimore.

According to police, some of the sexual assault on Gibson occurred after she was dead.

Baltimore police obtained video surveillance from the area that showed Gibson and House interacting prior to the attack; however, the footage does not show the attack or anything that seemed “volatile,” said T.J. Smith, a police spokesman.

House, who did not have a prior adult criminal record, has been charged with 12 criminal counts in relation to the incident, including first- and second-degree murder, first- and second-degree rape, four sex offense charges, perverted practice, two assault charges and reckless endangerment, police told the Baltimore Sun.

House was ordered held without bail at a bail review hearing on Monday, according to court records.

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