Police seek man in Washington County rape, kidnapping

September 24, 2012 5:25 pm
  • John Gallo
    John Gallo
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State police are searching for a Washington man accused of raping and kidnapping his estranged lover and threatening to kill her.

Troopers wrote in a news release that John Gallo, 40, arrived at the woman's Canton home about 10:30 p.m. Sunday and the woman asked him to leave and return 20 minutes later. They said the woman locked the doors and that when Mr. Gallo returned he threatened to break in her windows, forced his way through the door and put the woman in a choke-hold.

He then told her he had a gun, placed her in his car, drove down Route 40 toward a mine shaft and "advised the victim they were both going to die," troopers said. The woman told troopers that Mr. Gallo threatened to throw her down the mine shaft and said he would "then shoot himself and fall in after her."

Instead, police said, he raped her, drove her home and raped her again.

The woman tried to call police while Mr. Gallo was sleeping this morning, but told troopers that he caught her making the call and then forced her inside the car and drove off with her again. State police said the woman jumped out of the moving car and several people came to her aid.

Mr. Gallo faces charges of kidnapping, rape, assault, unlawful restraint and other crimes. State police are asking anyone with information about his whereabouts to call them at 724-223-5200.

Liz Navratil: lnavratil@post-gazette.com, 412-263-1438 or on Twitter @LizNavratil.
First Published September 24, 2012 5:25 pm

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