SALISBURY, MD -The man accused of kidnapping a woman in Seaford and driving her to Salisbury in her own car before pushing her into the Wicomico River earlier this year has been found guilty on numerous charges.
Wicomico County State's Attorney Jamie Dykes told WBOC Thursday night that 23 year-old Ralph Harmon was found guilty of, among various other charges, attempted first-degree murder, first-degree rape, kidnapping and false imprisonment. A jury handed down the verdict late Thursday, finding Harmon guilty on the 15 charges against him.
The jury trial lasted 4 days.
In January of 2023, Harmon approached an 80 year-old woman in her Seaford driveway as she was walking to her car. Harmon forced her at gunpoint into the car where he pistol whipped her, took her jewelry, and forced her to provide the PIN information to her debit card. Harmon then drove her into Maryland where he sexually assaulted her and tied her hands with her own shoelaces.
Harmon then visited multiple ATMs with the victim still in the vehicle before bringing her to a home on Riverside Drive in Salisbury.
Once in Salisbury, Harmon led her to a dock behind the house and pushed her into the Wicomico River. Harmon then hit her in the head with his gun as she surfaced.
Harmon then left the woman in the river and took 5 of his friends on a spending spree with the victim's debit card, the Office of the State's Attorney says.
After eleven minutes in the frigid waters of the river, the victim was able to free her hands with her teeth and pulled herself from the water.
“This victim is fortunate to be alive," said Dykes in a statement Friday. "She endured incomprehensible terror from the moment Ralph Harmon accosted her in Seaford, Delaware, until she managed to climb from the frigid waters of the Wicomico River nearly two hours later. Ralph Harmon is the embodiment of evil, but thanks to the courage and fortitude of the victim, the work of law enforcement and prosecutors, and the commitment of the jury, Harmon will be held accountable and I pray that will never again be in the position to prey upon another innocent victim.”
Harmon faces two life sentences for the attempted murder and rape, plus additional time for the other counts. A pre-sentencing investigation and psychiatric evaluation was ordered for Harmon, and he will remain in custody awaitng that sentencing.
This article has been updated to reflect further information on the case provided on November 17th by the Office of the State's Attorney for Wicomico County
