Former neighbor of accused rapist said they would often discuss 'life problems' and 'religion'

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - The Orange County Sheriff’s Office is looking for a man they said raped and tried to kill a woman over the weekend. 

Deputies are looking for 54-year-old Bruce Whitehead and are using extraordinarily strong language in describing this case. Cpl. Evan Avila with the Orange County Sheriff’s Office Sex Crimes Unit called him a monster, said he mutilated a woman, and told reporters this was a "particularly horrific" attack.

"At the Sheriff’s Office, we do believe him to be a danger to the community, which is why we’ve reached out to the citizens of Central Florida so that we can bring him in so that he doesn’t harm anyone else," said Cpl. Avila.

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said around 4 a.m. Saturday, Whitehead picked up a woman who had been walking along Orange Blossom Trail, then held a knife up to her throat near North Pine Hills Road and North Lane.

"After he sexually battered her, he attempted to murder our victim. At that point, our victim bravely fought him off and was able to escape," said Avila.

News of the alleged battery spread quickly around Whitehead’s old neighborhood.

"I didn’t want to believe the situation, because I didn’t know if it was true or whatnot," said Ronald Schneider Jr.

Schneider Jr. has family near Whitehead’s old house. He said the two would often chat, talking about their life problems and about religion. 

"Sometimes people let the bad win over the good, and it’s not supposed to be that way," said Schneider.

The man living at Whitehead’s former residence said he has been there a little over a month. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office said deputies found Whitehead’s car, but that they need the public’s help finding the man himself.

Whitehead is about 6 feet and one inch tall, weighs 200 pounds, and has distinctive tattoos – "sacrifice" across his forehead, a large spider on his neck, and a water tattoo on his cheek.

"In my time at the Sheriff’s Office, this is probably one of the more egregious offenses, which is why we’re working so diligently to bring him into custody," said Avila.

Authorities said Whitehead served 20 years on a 40-year sentence for a similar crime in North Florida. He was also in state prison from 2015 to 2017. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office hopes to get him behind bars for good this time.

The Sheriff’s Office is asking that if anyone sees Whitehead, don’t approach him – instead, call 911.