Court records detail 'brutal' attack on 61-year-old woman, suspect charged with murder, rape

A Columbus man faces murder, rape and kidnapping charges after police found a 61-year-old woman brutally attacked Friday night on the city's North Side.

Police arrested Arthur Scott Jr., 36, whose address court records list as a clinic on the city's West Side, Saturday morning.

The charges are connected to the death of Li-Chu Lin, 61, whom police found around 10:25 p.m. Friday inside a room at an extended stay hotel on the 6100 block of Zumstein Drive, on the city's North Side.

Columbus police responded to an unknown type of complaint and went to the hotel room where Lin was staying. Officers found her with significant traumatic injuries they described as evidence of a "brutal attack." Lin died at the scene.

In an affidavit filed in Franklin County Municipal Court, police allege that hotel video showed Scott walking down the hallway and checking for open room doors before entering a room a short time before Lin. Police allege the video also showed Scott leaving the room without a baseball hat he was wearing when he went inside. Police say they found that baseball hat at the scene.

In court records, police accused Scott of hitting Lin multiple times in the head and kneeling on her neck, which they believe killed her. Detectives said evidence at the scene led them to believe Lin was sexually assaulted.

In the affidavit, police alleged that Scott confessed to Lin's death "and other crimes."

According to records from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Correction, Scott was released from prison in October after serving three years in prison for abduction in Cuyahoga County. In that case, an attempted rape charge was dismissed, according to Cuyahoga County court records.

Scott remains in the Franklin County jail. His first court appearance is set for Monday morning in Franklin County Municipal Court.

This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Woman killed in 'brutal attack' Columbus police ID person of interest