WARNING: This story contains graphic content of a violent, sexual nature.
EDMOND, Okla. (KFOR) – A former University of Central Oklahoma football star was convicted this past week of raping a woman with cognitive disabilities, and it appears that he’s been removed from UCO’s Hall of Fame.
Elton Howland Rhoades Jr. was convicted on Wednesday, Jan. 29, of raping the woman in May of 2018.
Edmond police were called to AllianceHealth Midwest, 2825 Parklawn Drive, on the night of May 31, 2018, to receive information about a rape that was reported to have occurred in Edmond at around noon the same day, according to a police report.
“The victim was unable to provide an address, but stated it did occur in Edmond,” the police report states.
The victim identified Rhoades as the suspect. Police later found out that the incident occurred at Rhoades’ home in the 200 block of South Lexington.
Police learned that the victim lived at a group home and that Rhoades worked for a residential service associated with the group home.
Police met with the victim and her mother at AllianceHealth’s emergency room. The victim’s mother told police that the victim has cognitive disabilities and has difficulty understanding questions and their context, and also has difficulty explaining how she feels, according to the report.
The victim told police Rhoades messaged her through Facebook, and after about two weeks of exchanging messages, they made plans to meet up sometime and hangout.
She told police that Rhoades messaged her at around 10 a.m. that morning, asking her if she wanted to go to the movies. She said she agreed, and Rhoades picked her up at the group home shortly after.
The victim said that Rhoades picked her up in a “nice” black car, possibly a Ford Mustang, and that the trip to the movies felt longer than necessary.
“She found herself wondering where Mr. Rhoades was taking her; though, she did not voice her concern out loud,” the police report states.
The victim told police that Rhoades brought her to a “big house,” pulled into the garage and led her into the home.
“She advised that Mr. Rhoades brought her upstairs to a ‘living room,’ where he asked her if she wanted to watch a movie, to which she replied, ‘Yes,'” the police report states.
She said they watched the movie while seated next to each other, and that she had her arms crossed. She said Rhoades uncrossed her arms and told her to relax. She said Rhoades then began holding and massaging her hand.
The victim told police that Rhoades told her to sit on his lap. She said she did, after which, he started kissing her on her neck, lips and arms.
The victim said Rhoades then led her downstairs to what she believed to be his bedroom. She said he began undressing himself and told her to do the same. She said after she undressed herself, Rhoades told her to lay on his bed.
“[The victim] stated she was nervous at this point and stated she knew in her stomach and head that what was occurring was not right, but could not bring herself to speak her concern,” the police report states.
The victim said Rhoades put on a condom and climbed on top of her.
“She immediately put both her hands on his chest in an attempt to stop him from moving forward any further,” the report states.
Police later learned that the victim tried to keep her legs closed, but Rhoades forced them apart, according to the report.
The victim said that Rhoades proceeded to rape her and did not stop even though she repeatedly asked him to stop. She said this went on for about 30 minutes, according to the police report.
She said Rhoades drove her back home and told her to delete their messages to each other from her Facebook Messenger.
The victim later spent time with her mother. She broke down in tears as she told her what Rhoades did, according to the report.
Upon request, the victim pulled up Rhoades’ Facebook page and identified him to police. She also provided details about Rhoades’ home.
Police then spoke with a nurse, who said that the victim had multiple vaginal lacerations and tears with “active bleeding present”, according to the report.
While trying to confirm Rhoades as the suspect, police learned that Rhoades’ son, Elton Rhoades III, has a criminal history that includes past charges of rape and intentionally spreading communicable diseases.
A 2016 Tulsa World article states that the younger Rhoades, then 26-years-old, pleaded guilty to three counts of second-degree rape and three counts of exposing others to HIV. A Tulsa County district judge sentenced him to 10-year prison terms on each rape count and five-year prison terms on each count of exposing others to HIV.
Elton Rhoades Jr. was previously listed on UCO’s Hall of Fame web page, but that page no longer exists.