Home / Dallas News / 23-year-old man sentenced to 50 years in 2017 attack on woman jogging at Fort Worth’s Trinity Trails

23-year-old man sentenced to 50 years in 2017 attack on woman jogging at Fort Worth’s Trinity Trails

A 23-year-old man received a 50-year prison sentence Friday in a 2017 attack on a woman who was jogging along Fort Worth’s Trinity Trails.

Justin Lacey Ray also received 20 years for assaulting a woman in a dog park two weeks before the attack on Trinity Trails. His sentences will run concurrently.

Ray was sentenced in the 372nd District Court after pleading guilty to several charges in both incidents, including attempted capital murder and aggravated sexual assault.

Justin Lacey Ray
Justin Lacey Ray(Tarrant County Jail)

In the September 2017 attack at Trinity Trails, Ray was spotted by a witness who saw him sitting on a bench wearing black shorts. He removed his clothes and started riding his bike in circles around her, so she left to call police, according to court records.

Around 30 minutes later, the victim was walking near tennis courts on the trail when she saw Ray sitting naked. She turned in the opposite direction and dialed 911.

Ray jumped on his bike, caught up with her and kicked her. He threw her phone in the river, tackled her and began beating her, according to court records. The victim fought back as Ray pinned her, punched and choked her, telling her that he was attacking her for calling 911.

The victim bit him and freed herself and fled to a nearby neighborhood where she flagged down a passing car, court records indicate. The driver immediately called police, and another person walking in the area also called 911.

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CRIME

Police arrest naked 23-year-old after another woman is attacked in Fort Worth

Police arrest naked 23-year-old after another woman is attacked in Fort Worth

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“This was a heinous, completely random attack. Law enforcement and first-responders involved in this case all share it was one of the most violent beatings they had ever seen someone survive,” prosecutor Kevin Boneberg said. “An entire community of strangers came together in their horror over this to assist in the prosecution of this predator and ensure the victim would have a chance to heal.”

Two weeks before, according to documents, Ray tried to sexually assault another woman near a Fort Worth dog park, taking the small knife she carried to defend herself and brandishing it against her. Residents also reported seeing someone matching Ray’s description wearing a mask and mutilating small animals, court records state.

A prosecutor called Ray a “Ted Bundy in the making.”

“These attacks were extremely traumatizing to the victims. They were both pleased with the outcome and relieved that they would not have to relive these painful experiences by testifying at trial,” Paul Nguyen said. “That trauma and pain further extended to all of those who witnessed any part of these horrific and appalling events.”

Ray was taken into custody after a news story asking residents to be on the lookout for him led to his capture, Tarrant County Criminal District Attorney Sharen Wilson said in a news release.

Ray later told police that he had wanted to kill the victim on Trinity Trails.

He pleaded guilty to attempted capital murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault in retaliation for the Trinity Trails attack. He pleaded guilty to attempted aggravated sexual assault for the attack at the dog park.

Ray will have to register as a sex offender.

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