MUNCIE, Ind. — A Muncie man is accused of entering a home without permission, waking a sleeping victim, and claiming he was the devil before taking off.
According to the Muncie Police Department, officers were dispatched just before midnight Tuesday to the 1000 block of W. 10th Street for a possible burglary. Officers learned while en route that a caller told dispatch a man with shoulder length hair, wearing no clothing, had come into her home.
“Officers that were in the area responded and quickly located a subject that matched the description that was given and were able to detain him,” said MPD Deputy Chief Christopher Deegan.
A probable cause affidavit showed that the arresting officer observed the suspect, identified as Michael Donohoo, 58, who was wearing a towel and socks, walking north on South Birch Street.
“Donohoo then began flagging me down,” wrote the officer.
Court documents showed that, despite being read his Miranda Rights after being identified as the suspect, he said he still wished to speak with police.
According to the affidavit, when asked why he was walking around in a towel, Donohoo stated it was a “bucket list” item of his to live as an exhibitionist for a week.
“Donohoo advised he had been walking around in the area, naked, and stated he had done it a couple times before,” the officer wrote in the arresting document.
Barbara McCormick, who lives nearby, said she was alerted when her dogs wouldn’t stop barking, to a man standing outside in front of her home, wearing no clothes.
“I said ‘what are you doing,'” said McCormick. “He started doing circles, so I said ‘stay right there I’ll go get you something.’ The only thing I knew to grab was a towel.”
McCormick said, she had no idea at the time that he was accused of committing any crimes. She heard him making noises, figured he was trying to get someone’s attention, and wanted to help him get covered up and make sure he was okay.
“I heard a bunch of sirens coming and I said, ‘do you know where you’re at?’ He said, ‘yeah’ and some other words,” McCormick shared.
Court documents show the man reportedly told officers he did go into a house, uninvited, in the area.
“Donohoo stated that someone had told him the door would be unlocked and to go inside. Donohoo wouldn’t state who told him this,” read the affidavit for his arrest.
According to documents, the suspect told police the door was unlocked and he went inside and to the bedroom where the victim was in bed. He said he touched the back of the victim’s leg, above her knee, and told her to wake up.
The suspect also told police, according to the probable cause affidavit, that the victim began yelling at him and he walked out of the residence. The victim was able to positively identify the suspect, who claimed while he was in the yard another male asked him who he was, to which he replied, “the devil.”
Officers questioned the suspect further at the jail, and he reportedly offered up even more information.
“Donohoo stated he didn’t walk around naked, so that anyone would see him, stating he did it to fulfill his desire to be an exhibitionist and to feel the air,” read the affidavit.
The suspect told police, according to a narrative from the incident, the reason he entered the home was “for the challenge.”
“It seemed to be that he wanted a challenge or was presented with a challenge to enter somebody’s home. We didn’t really end up with an intent other than, that was a challenge of going in somebody else’s home,” said Deegan.
According to the affidavit, the suspect also told police at the jail, that when he went inside he observed a juvenile playing on a computer. He then went to the bedroom, where he saw two people sleeping, including the victim. He told police he was only intending to walk out of the residence after he touched her leg.
“The sanctity of a person’s home is one of the most private places and you certainly want to feel like you’re safe there. When you have somebody that enters your residence or where you stay without permission, or unauthorized as such, it can create some serious safety concerns for both parties, obviously,” said Deegan. “That’s why I’m glad the officers that were on shift were able to quickly apprehend the suspect.”
Deegan said, he knows any time someone enters into a persons home without permission, it can be violating and traumatizing.
McCormick said, years ago, someone also broke into her home while she was inside and she will never shake the feeling it left behind.
“I’ve been there. That’s a violation for life,” said McCormick. “You don’t know what people are capable of.”
“When that gets violated, it calls into question just kind of things that you would experience in every day living. It’s very important to make sure that we progress in this case for the sake of the victims and let people know that we are going to protect that aspect of your security,” said Deegan.
MPD said it’s never a bad time to remind of some steps you can take to secure your home and protect yourself and property.
“It comes down to just having a process and trying to stick to it; making sure that all of your doors are locked at night, your windows are locked at night. If you choose to sleep with your windows open, make sure you’ve got a security screen that can serve as a compliment to that,” said Deegan.
He recommends getting into a routine and remembering to check and double check that you keep everything secure.
“Secondary to that is, lighting is always a big deal. It seems like I always talk about this at neighborhood meetings I go to, the more lighting that you can have around your house and around your property and around your possessions, will typically, we see tends to deter criminals because they don’t like to be seen,” said Deegan.
Court records show formal charges have not been filed in the case. Donohoo was taken into custody, booked into the Delaware County Jail, and later released on a $7,500 cash bond.
