Man Gets 8 Life Sentences For Rape, Kidnapping Charges: FL Officials

SARASOTA, FL — A man was sentenced to eight separate consecutive life sentences for charges related to the rape and kidnapping of two women in Sarasota in the same night, authorities said.

Cory Garries was convicted of five counts of sexual battery with a deadly weapon, two counts of kidnapping with a weapon, burglary with assault or battery, and aggravated assault before being handed his sentence, the state attorney’s office said in a news release.

Garries’ jury trial was held at the Sarasota County Courthouse from Sept. 2-8.

In October 2022, Garries, who had recently served a 17-year federal prison sentence for sexual abuse, “began his night of terror” after showing up at his first victim’s Sarasota home, the state attorney said. He threatened her with a knife, cut off her hair and raped her, the office said.

After making her shower, he forced her to drive him to his sister’s house, also in Sarasota, where he raped the victim several more times.

She convinced Garries to allow her to call her friends to ask for money. Her friends, immediately knowing that she would never ask for those amounts of money, recognized she was in trouble, and asking “yes/no” questions, determined she was being kidnapped and held against her will, the state attorney said.

Her friends called 911 and deputies were sent to search for the victim, who, realizing law enforcement might not find her in time, ran from Garries to her car.

He chased after her and she was able to lock her car doors just as he got to the vehicle. She drove away while he was holding onto the handle, breaking it, the state attorney’s office said.

She drove to a nearby establishment, where she called 911 to report Garries’ crimes. Deputies began looking for him, though she was unsure of his exact location.

After his first victim left, Garries went across the street to a neighbor’s home. He broke in and raped her while she slept, the state attorney said. She woke up with his fingers around her neck, strangling her.

He threatened her with a knife and forced the second victim into a bathroom, raping her again and keeping her in there for several hours.

She tried to placate Garries by tending to his wounds after he cut himself with the knife, the state attorney said. She eventually convinced him to let her out of the bathroom.

They both laid down on the bed and when he fell asleep, the woman ran from her home to Bee Ridge Road, where she flagged down a vehicle that was on the way to a nearby hospital. The driver called 911 for her.

See Also:

• Driver Shot, Killed With Toddler In Car: St. Pete Police
• Man Exposed Himself To Family On Sarasota Beach: Police
• School Bus Driver Charged With 20 Counts Of Child Porn Possession: Pinellas County Sheriff
• St. Pete Beach Employee Used City-Issued Gas Card On Non-City Vehicles: Sheriff
• Man Charged With Murder After Argument Leads To Fatal Stabbing In Bradenton: Manatee County Sheriff
• Armed Burglary Suspect Arrested In NY After Months On The Run: Sarasota Sheriff

When deputies got to the second victim’s home, they found Garries trying to leave through the backyard, the state attorney's office said.

Both victims were seriously injured and 16 witnesses testified at the trial.

“The heinous acts of violence committed by the Defendant in this case upon the two
victims in this community are absolutely horrific. These two women suffered the worst
sort of violence imaginable, and somehow found the strength to survive and escape,” Joshua Wertheim, assistant state attorney, said. “I commend them on how they were able to face their attacker both in the moment, and at trial. The State Attorney’s Office will always stand up against evil, and prosecute those who commit it. I agree with the court’s sentence in this case, and believe the defendant deserves every day of his [eight] consecutive life sentences.”