By Tim Clifford

Two detectives reacted quickly enough to save the life of a child rape and molestation suspect when they found him attempting to commit suicide on May 7.

The day before, Det. Fred Gendreau was assigned to handle a report of child rape and molestation out of SeaTac committed by 74-year-old Roy Lee Lesner on his granddaughter. Lesner’s daughter, in tears and visibly shaking while she spoke with detectives, reported that her 5-year-old daughter had told her about numerous sexual encounters she had been forced to engage in with her grandfather.

The child was interviewed by a Child Forensic Interview Specialist and confided to investigators that on numerous occasions since June of 2014 Lesner had performed oral sex on her and would often rub her private parts through her clothes. Lesner told the 5-year-old that these encounters were their “secret” and to never speak a word about them.

The next day Det. Gendreau and Det. Casey Emly went to Lesner’s home on the 20400 block of 7th Pl. S. in Des Moines to arrest him. Lesner did not answer the door when the detectives knocked so they decided to try again an hour later.

At 6:18 p.m. the detectives returned and noticed a vehicle on the side of the home that was idling. When they went to investigate they found a garden hose in the tailpipe that lead to the garage. At that point the detectives realized what was happening and kicked in the door to Lesner’s home.

When they reached the garage they found Lesner unconscious with a plastic bag around his head and the other end of the hose in the bag. They quickly opened the garage door and dragged Lesner outside. Medics took him away to a local hospital.

After being treated for his attempted suicide by carbon monoxide poisoning and being released from the hospital the suspect was again contacted by detectives and confessed to the charges. He also confessed to molesting his adult daughters when they were children and told officers that he has “always kept it in the family”. Lesner was arrested and is currently being held on $1 million dollars bail in the King County Jail.

Speaking with Sgt. Mike Graddon of the Des Moines PD it has been learned that along with the rape charges other charges may soon be coming to Lesner after potential evidence of other crimes was found in his home. The investigation into those crimes is ongoing so information was not available to the press at this time.

Charges of rape and molestation also face Lesner from cases in California. It is unclear if those investigations are still open at this time or not. According to the AP Lesner was convicted of molesting two of his daughters in 1981 in San Diego. In that case Lesner was given misdemeanor charges and placed on probation. In 2003 a six year sentence that was given to Lesner for raping another daughter (it is unclear if this was his child or a step-child) was reversed after a Supreme Court ruling reset the statute of limitations to 10 years on sexual assault cases.

If the severity of the charges in those California cases are found to be equivalent to the most serious sexual assault offenses of Washington State Lesner would face a mandatory life sentence.