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Women, bound by criminal acts, become friendsDate published: 11/3/2009 By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BETHESDA, Md. --Three women, their voices softened by time, chose to be more than victims of a man who also killed a fourth woman.Ann Wolfe, Margaret Arnold and Betty Tubbs formed a friendship with only one thing in common: Jose Garcia-Perlera, the man convicted of attacking the three in their Montgomery County homes and killing a fourth elderly woman at her home. The three met at Garcia-Perlera's trial where they sought not only justice, but found friendship. Wolfe, who was tied to a pole in her basement for more than 2 days, and broke two molars chewing through a duct-tape gag, got justice when her attacker was convicted in May. But she's quick to acknowledge how much community appeared in her life through lasting friendships and the human touch from authorities that rescued her, doctors who treated her and prosecutors and detectives who investigated the case as her family gathered round. "You know, I'm embarrassed to say it," she told Arnold. "But it's been good for me." However, the aftermath of the attack still lingers. "Why did he have to tie us up so tight? We are just old people," asked Arnold, who's 94. "He didn't have to hit me in the head with his gun," Tubbs, 79, added from her experiences in September 2007. Montgomery County detectives investigated the frightening crimes for months before Garcia-Perlera was connected to stolen iPods, binoculars and a radar detector. When police went to his Hyattsville apartment, possessions such as a ring Wolfe bought in Afghanistan more than 50 years ago were also found. Garcia-Perlera's DNA was also connected to three home invasions. The three met during breaks in Garcia-Perlera's trial. "It's just been really great to find two people who went through the same thing," Arnold said. "It really makes it almost bearable." She's legally blind because of macular degeneration. "We found out that we all like to talk a lot," Tubbs added. Police said Garcia-Perlera lured her into the basement by turning off the circuit break to shut her lights off after breaking in through a window. Now that Wolfe's starting to have trouble reading, Arnold plans to help her learn to use visual enhancement equipment such as a video camera that can enlarge images of what's in her lap onto a TV.
Date published: 11/3/2009
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