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Ohio woman: I got away from serial killing suspect

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By VICKI SMITH, The Associated Press Updated 1:46 PM Thursday, November 5, 2009

CLEVELAND — A Cleveland woman who says suspected serial killer Anthony Sowell once choked and threatened to kill her now feels guilty and wishes she had reported the assault earlier.

Forty-three-year-old Tanja (TAHN'-yah) Doss says that if she had, her best friend Nancy Cobbs might not be missing.

She believes Cobbs might be among the 11 victims whose remains were found at Sowell's home.

Doss says she met Sowell in 2005. She says he invited her over for a beer, then began to strangle her.

Doss says that he forced her to strip and spend the night, but that she talked him out of her harming her and fled the next morning.

She didn't tell police because she served time on a drug charge and assumed they wouldn't take her seriously. She says she finally went to police Monday.

Cleveland police didn't return calls seeking to confirm the report.

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November 05, 2009 06:44 PM EST

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It says she didn't contact police, not that they ignored her. They can't help if they don't know. You assuming they wouldn't help her is just as bad as someone assuming something about her because of her race or social status.

Phil Man
2:03 PM, 11/5/2009

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It is disconcerting to say the least that this atrocity has taken place in this or any community. I come from Dayton OH and live in a similar neighborhood where it is not uncommon to hear gunshots, arguments, and similar poor standards of living that count us out or cause police officers and others to deem us a casualty without regard for making change. Black women are not broadcast on TV - we're not going to have a "made for TV" movie about our tragic loss -what's going on?

Jeri of Las Vegas
1:45 PM, 11/5/2009

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