SYRACUSE, N.Y., March 17 (UPI) -- Police said a Syracuse, N.Y., man allegedly deactivated his ankle monitor, went to a nearby mall and stabbed a woman to death and raped a 10-year-old girl.
David J. Renz had been fitted with the electronic monitoring device in January, two days after he was charged with possessing child pornography on his computer, The (Syracuse) Post-Standard reported Sunday.
Renz, who has a degree in computer science from State University College at Oswego, N.Y., allegedly deactivated the monitoring device Thursday before heading to Great Northern Mall in Clay, N.Y., police said.
There he attacked Lori Bresnahan, 47, and a 10-year-old girl as they were leaving a gymnastics class at CNY Gym Centre. The relationship between Bresnahan and the girl was not reported, although a coach at the gym said the woman often brought her daughter in for classes.
Renz took Bresnahan and the girl to a deserted area of the mall parking lot where he allegedly raped the child. He then drove Bresnahan's vehicle to a road behind the mall where he repeatedly stabbed the woman, police said.
The child ran off and flagged down a passing motorist for help. Police said they found and arrested Renz as he tried to flee into nearby woods.
Bresnahan was pronounced dead at Upstate University Hospital in Syracuse, the Post-Standard reported.
