UES Rapist Indicted: DA

UPPER EAST SIDE, NY – A 28-year-old man has been indicted for allegedly breaking into an Upper East Side apartment in the early hours of Sept. 28 and raping a 29-year-old woman, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office.

Donovan Murphy, a Bronx resident, faces charges of first-degree rape, burglary, and assault, among other counts, according to an indictment released on Monday.

The terrifying incident began just after midnight when Murphy reportedly attempted to follow another woman into her apartment building. He buzzed multiple units, trying to gain entry, but retreated when the woman’s husband appeared with a baseball bat, according to prosecutors.

A few hours later, at approximately 3:40 a.m., Murphy entered a second apartment nearby, at

East 92nd Street and First Avenue, where he is accused of attacking another woman, prosecutors say.

Court records state Murphy stole several bank cards from the woman's wallet before climbing into her bed.

She awoke to see a stranger in her bed, screamed, and fell to the floor, feeling dizzy.

Murphy is then accused of attacking her, inflicting severe injuries, including a fractured facial bone and a deep cut on her mouth, officials say.

Murphy then choked and sexually assaulted her, according to prosecutors, before fleeing the scene and using her bank cards to purchase a taxi ride and items at a Bronx pharmacy.

Following an investigation, the New York Police Department’s Manhattan Special Victims Squad arrested Murphy on Oct. 2.

"Every New Yorker deserves to be safe in their own home, and we will continue to work hand in hand with our partners in law enforcement to make that a reality," said Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg.

“Trauma-informed, survivor-centered care is available if you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted; please call our Special Victims Division at (212) 335-9373.”

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant D.A. Christina Kapalko under the supervision of senior members of the office's Special Victims Division.