Rashad Devon Harris is a Los Angeles man serving a life sentence for a violent 2018 home invasion in Santa Monica, California, in which he broke into a sleeping woman’s apartment, stabbed her repeatedly with a knife taken from her own kitchen, and attempted to rape her. He was convicted on all six felony counts in December 2020, sentenced in January 2021, and lost his appeal before California’s Second Appellate District.
The 2018 Santa Monica Attack
In the early morning of February 23, 2018, Harris, then 25, climbed through a window into a ground-floor apartment on the 1700 block of Fifth Street in Santa Monica. The resident, Leigh Collins, was asleep. He took a knife from her kitchen, woke her, demanded money, and after she complied, attempted to rape her. He held her at knifepoint and whispered threats to kill her.1KTLA. Woman Who Was Stabbed, Nearly Raped During Santa Monica Home Invasion Speaks Out2Leigh Collins. Victim Impact Statement
Collins fought back, wounded his hand, and chased him out.3Surf Santa Monica. Santa Monica Police Arrest Suspect in Violent Home Invasion Robbery Her injuries were severe. She had stab wounds to her forehead, arms, and elbow, with a cut on her left elbow that reached the bone and severed the tendon. Parts of some of her fingers were cut off. She was hospitalized in stable condition and required surgery.1KTLA. Woman Who Was Stabbed, Nearly Raped During Santa Monica Home Invasion Speaks Out
Arrest Four Days Later
Santa Monica Police detectives tied Harris to the attack through evidence from the apartment and a second location a few blocks away.4ABC7. Santa Monica Violent Home Invasion Suspect Arrested5City of Santa Monica. Suspect Arrested for Home Invasion Robbery He was on probation at the time for two prior burglaries, and was booked and held without bail.6Santa Monica Mirror. Man Sentenced to Life in Prison for Violent Santa Monica Home Invasion
Investigators later determined Harris had been stalking Collins for years before the attack. He was not charged with stalking.7WXOW. Woman From La Crosse Shares Harrowing Story of How She Survived Violent Attack
Six Felony Convictions and a Life Sentence
Harris was prosecuted in Los Angeles County Superior Court (case SA097480-01) before Judge Lauren Weis-Birnstein.8Canyon News. Assault to Commit Rape Suspect Found Guilty On December 20, 2020, a jury found him guilty on all six felony counts:9Santa Monica Daily Press. Life Sentence for Man Accused of Attempted Rape
- Assault with intent to commit rape
- Burglary
- Robbery
- Assault with a deadly weapon
- Mayhem
- Criminal threats
On January 6, 2021, he was sentenced to life in prison with the possibility of parole, plus three additional years.10Culver City Observer. Life Sentence for 2018 SM Home Invasion According to Collins’s victim impact statement, Harris had attempted during the proceedings to claim insanity or incompetency to stand trial and blamed her for the incident.2Leigh Collins. Victim Impact Statement
Appeal Affirmed
Harris appealed to the California Court of Appeal, Second Appellate District, Division Five, under case number B309923. The court affirmed all of his convictions.
The Victim’s Public Advocacy
Leigh Collins, originally from La Crosse, Wisconsin, has spoken publicly about surviving the attack. She gave a hospital-bed interview in 2018 and started a GoFundMe to help with expenses.1KTLA. Woman Who Was Stabbed, Nearly Raped During Santa Monica Home Invasion Speaks Out At sentencing, she described permanent scarring, lost dexterity in two fingers after reconstructive surgery, and a PTSD diagnosis with panic attacks, dissociation, and difficulty maintaining relationships.2Leigh Collins. Victim Impact Statement
In a 2024 interview, Collins said she wants to help other women facing similar situations. “If someone is violent with you, they’ve already crossed that line. If they’ve entered your home, they’ve already crossed that line.” She has said she plans to write a book about her experience.7WXOW. Woman From La Crosse Shares Harrowing Story of How She Survived Violent Attack