Boston, Massachusetts – A convicted rapist attacked a man with a machete under the Longfellow Bridge last month and was arrested by authorities a few days later. The victim was found covered in blood with several cuts on his head along Storrow Drive on Thursday, May 23, according to the Suffolk District Attorney’s Office. The assailant was identified as Charles Selph, described as a repeat violent offender, and was apprehended in Boston four days after the incident.
Upon discovering the wounded man, drivers stopped to help, with one individual providing a cellphone video that aided in locating Selph. The victim provided a description of the attacker who had assaulted him while he was sleeping. District Attorney Kevin Hayden commended the assistance from the public and effective investigative work that facilitated a swift arrest in response to the brutal attack.
The attack took place around 10:15 p.m., and state police were alerted to the assault on Storrow Drive near Teddy Ebersol’s Red Sox Fields. Details were limited at the time of the incident. The victim, a 54-year-old man, disclosed to investigators that he had been sleeping under the bridge and fled to Storrow Drive for assistance during the attack. He was subsequently transported to Massachusetts General Hospital for treatment.
During the investigation, surveillance footage captured the attacker wielding a long object before carrying out the assault, prosecutors revealed. Upon recognition from the footage, Selph was identified by a trooper, and items bearing his name were discovered in a backpack left at the scene – including a medical bracelet and a pill bottle. A machete resembling the one observed in the footage was also found nearby.
Prosecutors did not disclose the motive behind Selph’s attack on the victim. Selph’s criminal history included convictions for rape, sexual assault, assault and battery on a police officer, and failure to register as a sex offender. Last year, he had been sentenced to nine months in prison for assault and battery.
Following his arrest, Selph was arraigned on charges related to the machete attack and was held on $1,000 bail. He was instructed to stay away from the alleged victim and the site of the attack. It remains unclear whether he posted bail or sought legal representation. Selph is scheduled to appear in court on June 21 for further proceedings.