ROANOKE (WSLS 10) - The Roanoke City Police Department has taken into custody the man who they believe grabbed a woman while jogging on the Greenway over the weekend.
Alexander Earl Billow, 31, of Roanoke, Va., turned himself in to police around midnight on Tuesday, August 11. Billow has been charged with abduction by force, deception, etc., without justification. He is currently being held at the Roanoke City Jail without bond.
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A warrant for abduction was obtained this week against Billow. Police were actively searching for Billow Monday evening.
Police say Billow was identified through the surveillance photographs which were supplied to the public as part of the investigation.
On August 9 at 8:27 a.m. Roanoke Police were dispatched to the 1600 block of Bennington Street SE. A female victim reported being grabbed by a man matching Billow's description while she was jogging on the greenway. Prior to grabbing her, he had exposed himself to the victim. She was able to free herself from the suspect and ran away. She was not seriously hurt in the incident.
Officers quickly set up a perimeter and conducted a search using a canine but the suspect was not located.
Detectives obtained video surveillance of a suspect at a convenience store in the 1600 block of Bennington Street an hour and a half before the incident. The individual matched the victim's description of the suspect and the victim positively identified the suspect in the video as the man who grabbed her.
Police said Billow has a history of similar offenses. Billow was convicted in 2007 in Roanoke City for one count of attempted abduction where he grabbed a female and sexually assaulted her in the parking lot of a store. He was also convicted of two charges of indecent exposure in 2009 in Roanoke City.
Officers were asking everyone to report any suspicious individuals on the Greenway by calling 911 immediately. Greenway users are also encouraged to run in pairs whenever possible. Enhanced patrols are being conducted on the greenway. If you can help officers will any information, or help identify the individual in the pictures, please call the Roanoke Valley Crime Line at 540-344-8500. Tips are anonymous and rewards are offered for the right information.