PHOENIX — A home invasion left a Phoenix couple seriously hurt after they say a man forced his way into their home, beat them and took off with their money.
On Feb. 19, Karen Cameron and her 69-year-old husband Ed were sitting at home watching TV, when a man knocked on their door, near Central and Maryland avenues
The man asked to borrow a cellphone and told Karen his aunt lived in the complex, her water was out, and he needed to call and tell her.
During that short encounter, Karen offered the stranger a cup of coffee while he waited for help, but she said he declined.
About 20 minutes later the same man came back. Before she opened the door, Karen thought the man might have changed his mind about the coffee offer, but he forced his way inside the home.
“He grabs the door, and starts pushing, I put my foot on it and then he put his arms through the open door and slugged me on the side of the head,” she said.
Karen landed on her left side and hit her face, he then started to punch her.
“He didn’t need to do this,” said 68-year-old Karen, while wearing a sling with a broken shoulder. “He hit me like eight times, he kept punching my head.”
The suspect forced Karen’s husband on the floor and tied his hands behind his back, court documents said.
“After he tackled me, my husband tried to come and defend me, but he’s got four broken ribs now,” Karen added.
The man, later identified by Phoenix police as 33-year-old Robert Love, took both of the couple's cellphones, a small quantity of money and Ed's wallet, records show.
Police said during the home invasion, Love used a cup to drink water. Fingerprints from that cup were pulled and he was identified.
Love was in custody for an unrelated offense and was linked to the attack.
He has a criminal history with multiple violent felony arrests and prior criminal damage convictions.
“I am not going to be a nice target next time,” Karen said. “I’m going to be vicious, horrible, and my soul will sleep like a rock.”
As she heals from a broken shoulder and bruises on her face and back, the couple said they will now have a deterrent for anyone that tries to victimize them.
“Right about the time they say you shouldn’t have a gun, is when you’re going to need one,” she said. “If Ed had had one in his desk, he wouldn’t have ended up with four broken ribs, I would still have a broken shoulder, but we’d had a dead suspect on the floor, and I would not feel bad.”
Love is facing multiple charges, including kidnapping.
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