Buckeye mother fights off attacker who broke in while her small children were home

A West Valley mother fought off an intruder who she said forced his way into her home and sexually assaulted her on Friday evening, authorities said.

The suspect left the neighborhood near Southern Avenue and Miller Road in Buckeye before officers arrived, but the Buckeye Police Department located and arrested 20-year-old Adrian Ayala the next day in Goodyear.

The victim’s two young children were home during the attack. Ayala allegedly hit the victim’s 17-month-old child while he was assaulting the mother.

The victim said Ayala entered her home after her fiancé had gone to buy groceries. She said her alarm system indicated somebody was at the front door, and she assumed it was her fiancé returning.

But when she went to the front door, she saw a “random man” standing outside and peeking into the home, according to the probable cause statement for Ayala’s arrest. He asked her to use the bathroom before she tried to close the door, but he kicked it in and assaulted her.

She said she fought him off and was able to get outside and scream for help. A neighbor heard the shouting and called police.

The fiancé returned home and chased Ayala, who got into an SUV and drove away.

Surveillance video provides Buckeye police with evidence

According to the arrest report, the victim showed police surveillance video from a camera mounted above her garage. Officers could hear Ayala on the video telling the victim he met her fiancé on Reddit and was told by the fiancé that the victim would “be into this.”

The victim was heard asking Ayala what her fiancé’s name was, but Ayala said he did not know.

While she was talking to police, the victim posted the video to a neighborhood social media app. A commenter on the video identified the attacker as Ayala, according to the arrest report.

As investigators were working to confirm Ayala as the suspect, his father called the Goodyear Police Department to report that he saw his son attacking a woman in a video he was sent on Facebook.

The father said his son told him he’d been paid by a YouTuber to “reenact” the “attack,” according to the arrest report.

Ayala requested an attorney after his arrest and did not answer questions from police.

Investigators were pursuing search warrants for Ayala’s vehicle, residence, DNA and other evidence. Police also seized the fiancé’s cellphone during the initial investigation because Ayala implicated him in the attack.

Ayala was released Sunday on a surety bond of $25,000. He is scheduled to appear at a status conference Friday and at his preliminary hearing Oct. 27.

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