Capitola rape survivor speaks out
After 14 years a suspect has been found guilty of raping a 20-year old woman in Capitola.
In 2004, Jody Geare was walking home early in the morning on McGregor drive when she was attacked.
“He basically beat me up, strangled me and raped me and left me for dead in a ravine,” said rape victim Jody Geare.
She was eventually able to climb out and flag down help on the side of the road, and report it to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
Evidence and DNA was collected at the time, but no match was found.
“There was no inkling of closure, there was no, I know this is going to sound weird, but there was no validation. It was like it never happened, said Geare.
Years went by, but detectives didn’t give up. Ten years later, Geare got a call.
Geare said, “They explained to me we got a DNA match, from your case from ten years ago, and I was just floored.”
The now 50-year-old, Salvador Rocha, had been identified as her attacker after he was arrested for a separate sexual assault case in Aptos where he attempted to rape another woman.
On Wednesday, 14 years later, Rocha was found guilty of rape and sexual battery by restraint.
Geare said the verdict has helped get the validation she’s never had.
“You know this is what happened to you to trick you in thinking for over a decade that you couldn’t do your job or you weren’t worth anything as a human. Like this is the reason that this happened and now everyone gets to know about it and he’s going to be punished for it,” Geare said.
Santa Cruz County assistant district attorney, Jason Gill said Rocha was not found guilty on all counts as the jury was hung on a number of them. But Gill said they won’t stop until a verdict is reached for all charges, for both victims.
“We’re going to retry the case and we’re going to put on just as strong of a case as we did this time around and we’re confident that we’re going to get justice for both of these victims,” said Gill.
As for anyone going through something similar, Geare offers some advice.
“Feelings pass and I promise it gets better, and I know that it feels like you’re broken and unlovable but you’re not.”
