An Odessa Police Department probable cause affidavit detailed a 52-year-old assaulted his common-law wife and sister and held both in confinement.
Gregory Cato was charged with two counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon (family violence), a second-degree felony, and unlawful restraint, a class A misdemeanor.
The assaults were reported to OPD at 2:35 a.m. Feb. 4 in the 1500 block of Spur Avenue, the affidavit stated.
Officers say they arrived at the listed residence and made contact with victims Shannon Stowe and Christina Boatright. Stowe and Boatright told police that Cato had assaulted them and held them “against their will.” Boatright is Cato’s common-law wife, while Stowe is Cato’s sister.
Stowe told police that Cato had arrived home intoxicated and began verbally arguing with both her and Boatright. Cato became overly aggressive and began striking Stowe in the head with his fists, headbutted his head against hers and threatened to “kill” them with a broken wood shovel-handle with a sharp tip.
Stowe also told police that Cato said he was “ready to die” and he was “going to hell” with them both going with him.
Boatright corroborated Stowe’s story and stated while Cato was assaulting Stowe that she attempted to intervene and defend Stowe from being assaulted by Cato, the affidavit stated. Boatright stated when she intervened that Cato began striking her with his fists in her head and struck her left forearm with the wood shovel-handle while he was making the deadly threats.
Stowe and Boatright told police that Cato restrained them by holding them within the confinement of the house and didn’t allow them to leave or contact anyone outside. Stowe was eventually able to escape after Cato had fallen asleep.
Officers saw injuries on both Boatright and Stowe which corroborated their claims of the incident, the affidavit stated. Stowe had clearly visible swelling to her forehead and an injury to her left hand with swelling and fresh colored bruising. Boatright had injuries on her nose and fresh visible bruising to her left forearm.
Cato was arrested and booked into the Ector County Law Enforcement Center on Feb. 4, jail records show. He has four bonds totaling $63,000 and was still in custody as of Monday afternoon.
