A sentencing hearing was held on August 29, for Chase L. Skow who brutally stabbed a young girl multiple times after luring her to a property near his home in 2018. After approximately three hours of testimony Skow was convicted of Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon Causing Serious Bodily Injury. Skow was sentenced by Judge Camile G. Dubose to 15 years in prison. The victim in this case, Sydney Bogan, amazingly pulled through and is doing well.
“She was stabbed 27 times, in her chest, back, hands, face, and they found even more wounds in her scalp after she was stabilized,” said Assistant District Attorney Julie Solis. “This is one of the most disturbing cases I’ve ever prosecuted because he knew the victim, and she had trusted him, and because of the planning that took place.”
“He had texted the victim the day before, and asked if she would help pull a prank on his sister. He put duct tape across her mouth and zip ties around her hands and he just started stabbing her. She was laying on the ground at this point, and fought back. In the struggle, she was able to break the zip ties and yelled for help,” Solis said.
“The victim will always have permanent scars and injuries, but because she was strong and fought back, she survived. She screamed even after he warned her not to, and thankfully someone heard her, because he had taken her to an area where she wouldn’t have been found. He lured her to a roping area, and had her park there, so no one would see her vehicle. Then he drove her into a brushy area on the neighbor’s property and took her inside a lean-to shed where the stabbing occurred,” Solis said. “He fled after the crime and was found sitting in the bleachers of the baseball stadium.”
Skow was found competent to stand trial, and he pled no contest to the charges this July.
“I am very pleased with the sentence,” Solis added. “This will allow our victim to go off to college and not have to worry about him showing up. I think this sentence also helps give closure to the two other victims who were attacked by Skow when he was still a juvenile, a teacher in 2013 and a postal worker in 2015.”
Former District Attorney Danny Kindred adds, “It was a very scary crime. This wasn’t a spontaneous act. He had to coax the victim over there. I am very proud of the assistant district attorneys and law enforcement for facilitating a good prosecution. I think the sentence the judge gave is warranted and fair.”
The maximum sentence would have been 20 years; it was a 2nd degree felony, Kindred said.
“The facts of this case are just terrible. It was violent. It was planned out, and the victim was lucky to survive. It’s a very scary thing.”
The case was prosecuted by Assistant District Attorneys, Julie Solis and Kanon Lillemon, and Skow’s defense attorney was Emmett Harris.
Skow led authorities on a 4 hour manhunt after the horrible stabbing on March 14 of 2018, and a tip led authorities to her attacker. He was 17 at the time and the young victim was 15. Thankfully she recovered.
The hunt for the attacker began on CR 6612 (Old Fish Hatchery Rd) and encompassed the golf course area and the rural parts of Devine between CR 6612 and the Football Stadium. Six different departments were dispatched and searched for Skow for four hours before a tip came in from a citizen that had seen him at the baseball field next to the stadium.
He just walked up and was trying to blend in, sitting on the bleachers. But a citizen noticed and called authorities, according to our 2018 news article.
She was airlifted to University Hospital with multiple injuries including a collapsed lung. Involved in the 4 hour manhunt were MCSO, Devine PD, Natalia PD, DPS, DPS Aircraft, Constable Watson, and TDC K-9.
Sydney’s mother Risen Kay Britton said she is doing well and wants to become a Childhood Psychologist to help others who have gone through such trauma.
“The sentencing coming and going will help give us what we need to move on,” Britton said. “Knowing where he is and where he is going definitely makes us all feel safer. It also helped give closure to other people who have been affected by him, who also testified along with Sydney. She testified for herself and she did ask the judge to please get Chase the help he needs. She doesn’t hate him. She never judged him, she was his friend and she trusted him. That’s what was the most hurtful.”
“The sentencing was a hard day for everyone. We pray for everyone involved. Chase’s grandparents saved my daughter’s life, and I have no doubt about that,” Britton said. “His grandpa had gone outside to check on Chase and was calling for him, so Chase told Sydney to be quiet or he’d kill her. Chase walked out to talk to his grandpa, and Sydney came stumbling out. Chase took off, and his grandparents called 911 and took her up to their house, staying with her until EMS arrived. Her wounds were so bad that they couldn’t even recognize her. That’s how badly she was injured.”
“God was surely watching over her, and I know He has a better purpose for her. Her strength and perseverance are something I greatly admire. Sydney wants to be a Child Psychologist to help other kids who have gone through trauma. She believes that’s her purpose and so do I. She is truly forever MY HERO! ”
Sydney just turned 17, celebrating her birthday this week.
