Man accused of beating, choking, threatening woman

Police say a Cape Girardeau man beat, tried to suffocate and threatened to kill a woman Wednesday night.

The Cape Girardeau Prosecuting Attorney’s Office charged Jerry J. Gow, 52, with second-degree domestic assault, a class D felony.

Police went to a domestic-assault call Thursday afternoon and found the victim covered in bruises including two black eyes, according to a probable-cause statement filed in the case by Cape Girardeau police patrolman Gabe Yoder.

The victim, who also had a red mark on the side of her neck, told officers she had been at Gow’s residence in the 700 block of South Ranney Drive on Wednesday night when Gow began to get progressively more angry, Yoder wrote.

The victim said Gow threw a bowl, breaking it and cutting himself in the process, Yoder wrote.

When Gow passed out, the victim said she left a voicemail with a friend, asking for a ride because she did not feel safe, according to the statement.

She told officers Gow woke up and threatened to “skin her alive and decapitate her,” Yoder wrote.

When the victim tried to escape, Gow threw her to the ground and began choking her, screaming he was going to kill her, according to the statement.

Gow “began trying to twist her head to break her neck” and “attempt[ed] to suffocate her by covering her mouth and nose with [a] cloth,” Yoder wrote.

The victim did not report the assault until the next day because she didn’t know how badly she was hurt, according to the statement.

Gow’s bond was set at $15,000 cash with the condition he have no contact with the victim.

tgraef@semissourian.com

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