At a Glance
- A 95-year-old woman was raped in her bedroom at Dock Woods Senior Living in Lansdale, PA, on May 10, 2025.
- Police say John Vernon Gray, 22, matched DNA found on the victim’s clothing and was linked to three other break-ins at the same facility.
- Gray is jailed without bail, charged with rape, burglary, and related offenses; additional charges may follow.
- Why it matters: The case exposes security gaps in senior communities and highlights ongoing investigations into similar assaults.
A 22-year-old man is behind bars after Montgomery County prosecutors say he raped a 95-year-old woman inside her senior-living apartment and is suspected in a string of break-ins targeting elderly residents.
Nighttime Assault at Dock Woods
The victim told police she was asleep in her Dock Woods Senior Living Community unit in Lansdale shortly after 3 a.m. on May 10, 2025, when she woke to find a stranger standing in her bedroom. According to the criminal complaint, when she asked what he wanted, the intruder replied, “I want you,” then claimed he had seen her in the cafeteria and thought she was “beautiful.”
The man proceeded to rape the woman in her bed, investigators say. Afterward, he paced the room, stating he lived in Blue Bell and also in a group home, and begged her not to report the assault. The woman estimated he remained inside her unlocked apartment for roughly an hour before leaving through the front door.
Suspect Located After Mental-Health Call
About 90 minutes later, Towamencin officers responded to a suicidal-person call at an apartment on Stockton Drive-roughly one mile from Dock Woods. There they encountered John Vernon Gray, whom they transported for mental-health treatment. Detectives later connected Gray to the rape through cellphone-record analysis and DNA evidence that matched samples taken from the victim’s clothing, according to the district attorney’s office.
Pattern of Break-Ins
Investigators tied Gray to at least three other incidents:
- May 10, 2025 – Attempted burglary of a 79-year-old woman’s apartment inside Dock Woods.
- November 8, 2025 – Two separate break-ins at Dock Woods and a nearby facility; during one, a woman was indecently assaulted.
After the November incidents, police followed a car leaving the area to the Stockton Drive apartment where Gray lived with his girlfriend. Officers noted he wore the same clothing described by one of the victims.
Charges and Custody
Gray is currently charged only in the May 10 sexual assault, though authorities say the investigation is active and additional counts are possible. He is held without bail at Montgomery County Prison; online court files do not yet list defense counsel.
Ongoing Investigation
On January 10, 2026, investigators searched a Telford residence believed linked to the case. Officials have not disclosed what, if any, evidence was seized.
Anyone affected by sexual violence can contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 or the National Sexual Violence Resource Center for support.
