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Man accused of beating woman 'beyond recognition' inside Tempe apartment
Nicholas Vincuillo, 32, is accused of beating a woman "beyond recognition," causing 36 significant injuries to her head alone, inside of a Tempe apartment on Sept. 21.
TEMPE, Ariz. - A Tempe man was arrested after police said he badly beat a woman inside his apartment.
What we know:
"The victim is so terrified that she's considering leaving the state," court documents said.
On the morning of Sept. 21, Tempe police said 32-year-old Nicholas Vincuillo attacked a woman he had a relationship with at his apartment near Loop 101 and Rio Salado Parkway.
Court records said Vincuillo got mad after the woman used his vape while he was taking a shower. He is accused of grabbing the victim, slamming her into a wall, punching her, and throwing her into a bathroom. He also allegedly grabbed a gun and put the barrel on her forehead and called her a derogatory name.
What they're saying:
"This was an extremely vicious attack. The victim was beaten beyond recognition. She had 36 documented injuries to her head alone. She required significant medical intervention," Dawn Sauer, the prosecutor said.
Police said the woman told them Vincuillo forced her to take Xanax pills and that he was also using Xanax, cocaine, and had been drinking.
Investigators said the woman was able to leave the apartment and drive to a nearby In-N-Out Burger for help. Police arrived and paramedics took her to a hospital in Scottsdale for treatment.
"She was strangled, she had an orbital fracture, a fracture to her left hand. The forensic nurse described the victim's injuries as being in the top five worst she has ever seen," Sauer said.
Dig deeper:
Detectives said Vincuillo tried to hide evidence. A prosecutor said his actions included, "requiring [the victim] to shower, clean up the blood and disposing of the clothes."
They said they found a plastic bag in a trash compactor containing a MacBook laptop, an iPhone, the woman's clothing, and cleaning wipes. The night before the attack, police said Vincuillo told the woman to "stop talking to other people" and she let him know she had been seeing another guy.
According to court documents, Vincuillo has a previous history of domestic violence.
"The defendant also indicated to the victim that he was part of an outlaw motorcycle gang and the officer advised that the previous DV victim also was also advised the same thing from the defendant and the officer believes that this is an attempt to threaten and intimidate the victim in this case."
During a search of the apartment, police found a loaded handgun, blood spatter on the bathroom wall, and Xanax pills.
What's next:
The suspect is facing seven felony counts, including aggravated assault and tampering with evidence.
During the court appearance, a judge set a cash-only appearance bond in the amount of $250,000.
The Source: This information was gathered from court records related to the case.