Zanesville man convicted of raping girls sentenced to life in prison

ZANESVILLE — A man convicted by jurors of sexually assaulting two girls over the course of five years received a sentence of life in prison without the possibility of parole until 41 years.

At the conclusion of a three-day trial prosecuted by Muskingum County Assistant Prosecutor Gerald Anderson in late June, jurors found 62-year-old Walter Lewis of Zanesville guilty of three counts of rape and six counts of gross sexual imposition. The sentence handed down by Judge Kelly Cottrill almost guarantees the defendant will not re-offend, as he will be more than 100 years old when he first becomes eligible for parole.

“The defendant failed to show any remorse for his actions, and since he was found guilty, he has continued to try and contact one of his victims, even sending people to stalk her,” Anderson said. “The victim’s letter to the court touched on his lack of remorse, the ongoing harm she is having to overcome and that the only way to keep anyone safe from him is to lock him away as long as possible. The defendant will die in prison.”

Jurors heard from numerous witnesses throughout the trial, including both victims and lead Detective Randy Wilson from the Muskingum County Sheriff’s Office. Even though the assaults were reported to authorities years later, members of the jury saw past the barriers often presented in delayed reporting cases, such as a lack of physical evidence or physical injury to the victim. It is common for victims to wait to disclose sexual assaults due to complex issues, such as embarrassment or the trauma and fear associated with testifying in front of the abuser.In this case, the assaults were investigated by law enforcement after a friend of the victims overheard a phone conversation between Lewis and one of the victims in which the girl mentioned being sexually assaulted by the defendant.

Both victims spoke with a forensic interviewer and revealed how Lewis assaulted them for years beginning when the first victim when was just 12 years old as her mother lay dying in the hospital. The victim recalled how Lewis molested and raped her for a period of five years. When the victim’s friend began staying with her, Lewis preyed on her as well. The girls described instances in which Lewis followed them into the bathroom to touch them while they showered. They also explained how Lewis placed mirrors in the basement to be able to look at the girls in their bedroom and bathroom through the vents.

When law enforcement executed a search warrant at the home where the girls were assaulted, they found loose ductwork and the specific mirror in the basement that the girls described to the forensic interviewer. Throughout the investigation leading up to the defendant’s arrest, Lewis sent packages to the first victim, including the defendant’s bed sheet, underwear and sliced up T-shirt, as well as a box of razor blades and knife that Lewis used to cut the victim to torment and manipulate her. During trial, the defendant wore his half of a matching outfit he shared with the first victim and even winked at her while she testified.

“He’s been playing a manipulation game with her her whole life,” Anderson said.

Submitted by the Muskingum County Prosecutor's Office.

This article originally appeared on The Daily Jeffersonian: Zanesville man convicted of raping girls gets life in prison