Pa. man accused of breaking into homes, raping elderly woman, appears in court

A Pennsylvania man who police say broke into the homes of four women and either raped or attempted to rape the victims faced his accusers in court on Friday.

John Vernon Gray, 23, of Telford, targeted three elderly residents at a senior living community in Lansdale while they were sleeping, investigators said.

Resources for victims of sexual assault are available through the National Sexual Violence Resources Center and the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800-656-4673.

According to a criminal complaint, the first incident happened on May 10, 2025, when an elderly woman woke up around 2:30 a.m. to Gray climbing through her window.

She told police that she screamed which made him run away, officials said.

Then, about 30 minutes later, Gray entered through the unlocked front door of another woman at the senior living community, according to investigators. The woman told police she found Gray standing in her bedroom and when she asked what he wanted, he said, “I want you,” according to the criminal complaint.

Police said that Gray then sexually assaulted the woman, told her that he loved her and begged her not to tell anyone before he left.

Gray then targeted two more women on Nov. 8, 2025, according to investigators.

One woman – who lived at the same senior living facility as the first two victims – said Gray entered her home and tried to lift her nightgown, according to the criminal complaint.

About 30 minutes later, Gray broke into the home of a fourth victim who lived within walking distance of an apartment he was staying at, according to investigators. Gray entered through a sliding glass door and began touching the woman who screamed for her husband, police said.

The four women testified and faced Gray during a court appearance on Friday, April 17, 2026.

“Our victims are incredible in this case,” Montgomery County Assistant District Attorney Lauren Marvel said. “They are bright and brave, compassionate, and very strong.”

While Gray’s defense attorney argued that the women did not see the attacker’s face, prosecutors say other evidence ties him to the crimes. That includes cellphone data placing him near the scenes and DNA evidence found on one victim’s nightgown, according to investigators.

Gray is charged with multiple crimes, including rape, sexual assault and burglary.

Prosecutors say the case highlights how critical victims’ testimonies can be, despite the difficulty of coming forward.

“When something happens, it can be incredibly overwhelming,” Marvel said. “And it can be very scary to talk to anybody about it and a lot of victims will question whether it’s worth coming forward or worth saying anything. And what I would say is that it is always worth saying something because we will take it seriously.”

A judge is expected to hear more evidence next week and decide whether there is enough to hold Gray for trial. Gray’s attorney declined to comment, citing the ongoing case.