Advance, Mo., man arrested after woman alleges brutal rape

BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- An Advance, Mo., man is behind bars today following a weekend rape that resulted in an ensuing chase and shots being fired.

Steven Clark Rendelman, 51, of Advance, has been convicted of rape twice in the past 30 years. Rendelman had convictions in 1984 in Cape Girardeau County and in 1990 in Stoddard County. A third incident in 2009 in Cape Girardeau County led to a guilty plea of sexual misconduct.

Rendelman faces the felonies of forcible rape with additional aggravating acts and forcible sodomy, kidnapping, felonious restraint, two counts of first-degree assault of a law enforcement officer, property damage and resisting arrest.

According to a probable cause affidavit filed by Stoddard County Sheriff's Department Deputy Tim McCoy, at 1:20 a.m. Sunday, he received a call in reference to a well being check on Route K. Upon arrival, he met up with deputy Steve Christian who informed him of a female who had been allegedly abducted from Charley Brown's Bar in Advance.

The report states that while the victim was in the bar, she "suddenly became incoherent and unconscious." A bar employee then allegedly helped Rendelman move her to his white Dodge truck. That was when she was last seen. Multiple witnesses reported that she was incapacitated and appeared unconscious as she was carried out. When she was taken away by Rendelman, the friends who had visited the bar with her contacted law enforcement and began to search.

Deputy Christian searched the residence of Rendelman's mother, but neither he nor the victim was inside.

McCoy then began searching the area around the residence. He checked Liberty Hill Cemetery, located just west of the Rendelman residence. Upon entering the cemetery he spotlighted the area when he spotted a white Dodge truck parked on the northwest side of the property. McCoy then pulled his vehicle to within 15 feet of the truck. With his spotlight he saw a white male on top of a white female, both nude.

After notifying dispatch of his location, he approached the driver side of the truck. Both then sat up.

When McCoy asked what they were doing, neither responded, but the female exited the truck screaming, "He was raping me."

"Rendelman then reached toward the truck's glove compartment, as if he was going to grab something," the report states. Upon request, Rendelman showed his hands, but when he was asked to open the door of the vehicle, he stated "no." After trying another door, Rendelman started the truck and put it in drive.

McCoy then attempted unsuccessfully to break the driver's side window with his flashlight. He then drove in the direction of the patrol car.

McCoy quickly made his way to the back of the car because that is where alleged victim was last seen.

"I ran to the back of my patrol vehicle to make sure she was not run over," McCoy stated, noting that she was safely inside the rear passenger side of the patrol vehicle.

A high-speed chase ensued. When deputies caught up to the suspect, they used a stun gun to subdue him.

Upon speaking to the victim, McCoy was told she had passed out inside the bar, and when she awoke a man was raping her outside of the cemetery. She stated she had been raped three times over a two-hour period.

She told officers that during the rape she threatened to stab Rendelman with an ink pen if he didn't stop, but he took the pen and broke it in half.

An exam by doctors revealed blood under her fingernails, numerous scratches and bruises and evidence that she had been raped.

A search of Rendelman's vehicle found two used condoms, three condom packages, both subjects' clothing and an ink pen broken in half.

Sheriff Carl Hefner said he was extremely proud of McCoy's actions in the incident.

"Many people don't even know that cemetery is there. He had a hunch and checked it," Hefner said. "He followed his instinct and likely saved a woman's life. That's great police work."

Hefner said authorities were awaiting a blood test to determine whether the victim had been drugged in the bar. He also stated that nothing was found inside Rendelman's glove compartment.

Stoddard County prosecutor Russell Oliver issued a Monday news release stating his intentions in prosecuting the case.

"Because Rendelman has two prior convictions for rape and the manner in which we have charged him, the only statutorily available punishment is life without the possibility of parole for the duration of his natural life," Oliver said.

Judge Joe Z. Satterfield, who will preside over the case, allowed no bond in the warrant, stating that Rendelman was a danger to the community.

He remains in the Stoddard County Jail and will appear for arraignment on Thursday morning.

Pertinent address:

Advance, MO

Bloomfield, MO