When the police found a woman seriously injured on her couch, the officials initially thought she was dead. Two years later, the American woke up from the coma – and apparently unmasked her attacker.

In June 2020, a woman was brutally attacked in her own home in West Virginia. Police investigations were unsuccessful. Until now. Because a few weeks ago, the now 51-year-old woke up after two years from the coma and apparently identified the perpetrator – her own brother. Several US media had reported about it.

West Virginia: Police initially thought victims were dead

As the news channel CNN reports, the police found the woman sitting “in an upright position” on her couch. She was “attacked, hacked up and left to die,” local police said in a statement posted on Facebook. The wounds were from a machete or hatchet, but the murder weapon was never found.

The Jackson County sheriff told CNN that officers initially thought the woman was dead when they arrived until they noticed shallow breathing.

A witness claims to have seen the victim’s brother on the porch of the house the night before. However, there were otherwise no telephone recordings, surveillance videos or other witnesses. According to CNN, the police have investigated several suspects but have never been able to gather sufficient evidence to charge them. “There was practically nothing that would have helped us,” the sheriff told local news station Metro News.

Victim identifies her attacker despite severe brain damage

A few weeks ago, the now 51-year-old finally woke up from the coma, whereupon the care facility immediately informed the police. Although she could only answer yes or no due to brain damage, the information was enough to arrest her brother, authorities said, according to NBC News.

The 55-year-old was arrested on Friday and charged with attempted murder and malicious bodily harm. He did not resist when he was arrested. “He was a little surprised, but not entirely,” the lead investigator told Metro News. It’s still unclear whether the suspect, who was ordered to bail at $500,000, will plead guilty.

The 51-year-old is now fully conscious, but is still unable to make a detailed statement.

Sources: CNN; “NBC News”; “Metro News”