Walter L. Pernell (a.k.a. ‘Bama,’ a.k.a. ‘Derek’)

Two sexually assaulted

SALINE CO.— A Harrisburg man who was already serving a probation sentence for trespass to a home with people present and domestic battery is now facing a pair of rape charges following a March 25 early-morning incident on South Granger Street, in Harrisburg.

The incident came to light Saturday, March 25, at 4:39 a.m. when central dispatch received a 911 open line phone call, defined as a call to police with nobody on the other end.

Dispatch reported the only thing they could hear on their end of the call was “moaning in the background and someone saying ‘No.’”

Harrisburg officer Nick Keltner was dispatched to the location, identified as 1006 South Granger St.

Rape suspect answers door

Upon arrival Keltner said he observed a silhouette of a male in the residence and could hear multiple people talking.

Keltner said he went to the rear door of the residence at which time a black male, identified as Walter L. Pernell (a.k.a. ‘Bama,’ a.k.a. ‘Derek’), 35, formerly of Chicago, more recently of 501 West Church St., Harrisburg, came into view.

“The subject in question [Pernell] appeared to be sweating profusely and did not have his shirt on and was hiding behind the door,” Keltner said.

Keltner said he informed Pernell why he was there, which prompted Pernell to ask the officer to hold on while he put some clothes on.

Pernell then tried to close the door, which didn’t happen because Keltner moved to open the door further and when he did, he spotted 46-year-old Kristi L. Wilson, whom he said opened the door and walked away without saying anything.

‘Attacked by hammer’

“I knew this female from an earlier contact I had with her previously in the night,” Keltner said.

What exactly that previous police-involved contact may have been is unclear.

As the door opened fully, Kelner said he spotted another female he also identified from past police contact as 27-year-old Sara J. Milligan, standing in the back room.

Keltner said Milligan appeared “extremely emotional.”

“I asked Ms. Milligan what was wrong, to which Ms. Wilson advised me that both her and Ms. Milligan had been attacked by the male in the house,” Keltner said.

Officer Keltner said he had the two women step out of the house 

“Ms. Milligan and Ms. Wilson said [Pernell] had just attacked them with a hammer and had raped both of them,” Keltner said.

That’s about the time Keltner said he heard glass shattering from the south side of the residence and someone running eastbound through the backyard.

The officer ran around to the back of the house while giving Pernell’s description to dispatch.

Pernell was nowhere in sight.

‘Forced to watch’

When Keltner returned to the women, he was informed by Wilson that earlier, when she arrived at the residence, she noticed Milligan was emotionally distressed and Pernell told her to check on Milligan.

Wilson said she noticed that Milligan was not wearing any pants.

Wilson said as she was consoling Milligan, Pernell, holding a hammer raised in his hand, told her to take off her pants.

She said as soon as she did, out of fear she would be hurt, Pernell began sexually assaulting her, penetrating her vaginally with his penis.

Wilson advised the officer that Pernell made Milligan watch as she (Wilson) was being sexually assaulted and that he took turns sexually assaulting both women making one watch as he assaulted the other.

Still emotionally distraught, the only information Milligan was able to offer at the time was that she had been struck in the head by Pernell with the hammer he was wielding.

When police Sgt. Nathan Moore arrived on scene, both women were told to secure themselves in Wilson’s car while officers cleared the residence for safety.

During their search of the residence, Sgt. Moore and officer Keltner observed a large window in the southeast bedroom completely shattered.

The women were sent to Harrisburg Medical Center to be examined and to have evidence gathered via a sexual assault kit.

A K-9 unit was brought in and tracked Pernell to the Harrisburg Walmart before losing the scent.

Pernell picked out of lineup

Both women were asked to come to the Saline County Detention Center and view a photo lineup to see if they could positively identify their assailant.

Prior to the arrival of either woman, police received a phone call from Tony Franklin Crisp, 63, who said that he had “heard by word-of-mouth that Derek from Chicago ran from the police.”

Mr. Crisp went on to inform authorities that he had also heard that Derek was the boyfriend of Penny L. Fuller, 40.

Wilson arrived to look at the lineup at approximately 8:39 p.m.

After viewing several photos Wilson identified #5 as the man who raped her, which happened to be a photograph of Walter L. Pernell (a.k.a. ‘Bama,’ a.k.a. ‘Derek’).

Once Wilson left, Milligan was brought in, the photos were shuffled and she identified #1 as the man who raped her.

The individual in photo #1 also happened to be Walter L. Pernell (a.k.a. ‘Bama,’ a.k.a. ‘Derek’).

Authorities were unable to make contact with Pernell that night.

‘Held hammer during assault’

The next day, March 26, Milligan was able to speak with lawmen and told them that the night before, she had been expecting company and so when a knock came, she answered the door.

This is said to have been approximately 30 minutes before officer Keltner arrived on scene.

When Milligan answered, she said that Pernell, whom she did not know personally but had met him a year ago through a friend, asked her for a lighter.

She said when she went to get a lighter, Pernell followed her into the house without her permission.

Milligan said Pernell asked her if anyone else was in the house and appeared to be looking through the residence to see if anyone else might be present.

She said that Pernell told her he had been looking for her and that he was going to have his friends come over and offer her drugs and proceeded to tell her to take off her clothes.

Milligan said when she refused Pernell grabbed a hammer from inside the living room and threatened to kill her unless she took off her clothing.

“She stated that she did so for fear of being attacked [with the hammer] by him,” Keltner said.

Milligan said that Pernell then began sexually assaulting her.

She then advised that it was at that time when Wilson arrived and Pernell answered the door and ushered her in.

Milligan said that while Pernell was answering the door she dialed 911 and set the phone on the couch.

“Milligan stated to me that Mr. Pernell switched up sexually assaulting the two females, with the hammer in his hand, until I arrived,” Keltner said.

Faughn points to Pernell

Back on routine patrol in the area of Mill Street and Raymond Street, Keltner made contact with Colton Travis Faughn, 28, of 7 South Shaw St., Harrisburg, and asked him if he knew Penny Fuller and Pernell.

Faughn advised that he only knew Pernell by his street names ‘Bama’ and ‘Derek’ but told Keltner that he could find Pernell at 405 South Cherry St., Harrisburg.

 Officers converged on the address and Pernell was taken into custody without incident and transported to the county detention facility.

Pernell is said to have had multiple cuts on at least one of his hands, which were photographed.

He is said to have declined to give a statement to authorities but did submit to a DNA swab.

Evidence collected at the scene by authorities included a black handled hammer, women’s underwear, three pieces of underwear from a sectional couch located in the living room, a multi-colored sheet, a hypodermic syringe containing a clear liquid and a tape lift containing hair fibers.

Pernell was formally booked on charges of Home Invasion Involving a Dangerous Weapon, Home Invasion Involving a Sex Offense, and two counts of Aggravated Criminal Sexual Assault (also known as rape) Involving a Weapon.

Sentenced to 224 days in January

Pernell’s criminal history includes a September 21, 2015 conviction for Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol in which he was sentenced to 240 hours of public service, probation for two years and ordered to pay $4,007 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $3,707;

A November 30, 2015 conviction for Disorderly Conduct for which he was ordered to pay $867, of which he has paid nothing;

And an April 7, 2016 felony count of False Personation of a Peace Officer was ultimately dismissed.

As recently as January 10, 2017 Pernell was convicted of Criminal Trespass to a Residence With Persons Present and Domestic Battery, with two counts of Battery being dismissed.

He was ultimately sentenced to 224 days in the county jail (which doesn’t explain why he was on the street March 25), probation for two years and ordered to pay $4,357.02 in fines and fees, of which he has paid nothing.

And it appears, at least for a time in 2016, that Pernell was living at taxpayer expense in Saline County Housing Authority, at 2 North Skaggs St., Apt. 401, Harrisburg.

Although Pernell does not have a criminal drug history, in Saline County anyway, the same cannot be said for others involved in the case, including the two alleged victims. 

(Publisher’s note: The drug connection, which may or may not be pertinent to the case, in no way condones violence of any kind, including sexual assault.)

Milligan criminal history

SARA MILLIGAN

Sara J. Milligan’s criminal history includes a February 27, 2008 conviction for Unlawful Possession of Drugs, which earned her a sentence of court supervision for 90 days and $476 in fines and fees.

She was convicted November 24, 2014 of Theft, which earned her a $478 in fines and fees.

Currently Milligan has a pending case from July 25, 2015 in which she is charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of a Controlled Substance (prescription medication) and Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia.

She also has a pending case from June 29, 2016 in which she is charged with Unlawful Possession of Drug Paraphernalia, Unlawful Possession of Hypodermic Syringe and two counts of Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.

She also has a misdemeanor criminal case pending from December 15, 2016 in which she is charged with Criminal Trespass to Land.

Wilson criminal history

KRISTA WILSON

Kristi L. Wilson’s criminal history includes an arrest September 28, 2011 during which she was charged with Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Manufacturing Precursors, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Manufacturing Materials and Unlawful Possession of Anhydrous Ammonia.

All three charged were dismissed three years later.

Wilson was also taken into custody August 27, 2012 and charged with Unlawful Manufacture of Methamphetamine Less Than 15 Grams, Unlawful Manufacture of Methamphetamine 15-100 Grams, Unlawful Possession of Anhydrous Ammonia with Intent to Manufacture Methamphetamine, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Manufacturing Material, Unlawful Possession of Anhydrous Ammonia in an Unauthorized Container and Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Precursors 10-20 Grams.

On December 18, 2014 she pleaded guilty to the precursor charge in return for the remainder of the charges being dismissed and was sentenced to probation for 48 months (that sentence was set to run until 2018), and was ordered to pay some $18,857.78 in fines and fees, of which she still owes $7,777.78.

Fuller, Faughn criminal histories

PENNY FULLER

Penny L. Fuller’s criminal history includes a pending drug case from April 1, 2014 in which she is charged with Aggravated Methamphetamine Manufacture Near a Place of Worship, Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine Manufacturing Materials and Unlawful Possession of Methamphetamine.

She also has a pending case from August 31, 2015 in which she is charged with Domestic Battery.

Colton Travis Faughn’s criminal history includes an arrest November 9, 2015 during which he was charged with Criminal Trespass to Land and Theft.

Pleading guilty to the Theft charge in return for the trespass charge being dismissed, Faughn was ultimately sentenced to probation for 30 months and ordered to pay $5,321 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $5,211.

COLTON FAUGHN

Faughn also has an October 26, 2015 conviction for Domestic Battery for which he was sentenced to 30 days in the county jail, probation for 12 months and ordered to pay $2,302 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $2,252.

A March 7, 2016 arrest charged Faughn with Aggravated Domestic Battery/ Strangulation and Domestic Battery with 1-2 Prior Convictions.

Pleading guilty to the prior convictions charge, the aggravated charge was dismissed and Faughn was sentenced to 104 days in the county jail, probation for 30 months and ordered to pay $4,417.80 in fines and fees, of which he still owes $4,407.80.

Cash bond in the rape case against Pernell has been set at $10,000.