Woman found dead inside home of man accused of raping two young girls; no foul play suspected

A woman was found dead inside a home in the 1300 block of Delaware Thursday morning. Crime scene investigators worked the scene around 11 a.m.

A woman was found dead Thursday morning inside the home of a 39-year-old Lawrence man accused of raping two girls.

Around 8:30 a.m. Thursday, Lawrence police went to 1303 Delaware St. Lot 2, the address of the mobile home of William Joseph Ellis Jr. Inside, police found the body of a woman who appeared to be in her 30s, Lawrence police spokesman Sgt. Trent McKinley said.

Crime scene investigators and coroner scene investigators processed the scene Thursday morning. Foul play is not suspected at this point in the death investigation, McKinley said.

An autopsy on the body is scheduled for Friday. The woman’s identification will “likely be made during the coroner’s examination,” McKinley said.

Detectives investigate the scene of a death in the 1300 block of Delaware Street around 11 a.m. Thursday.

Ellis was charged Monday with two counts of rape of a child under the age of 14. Douglas County District Judge Paula Martin said Monday that Ellis was accused of having sex with “two girls while they were in day care.” It was unclear whether the “day care” was a licensed facility or a more informal arrangement.

Charging documents indicate the alleged acts happened with a 7-year-old between Jan. 12, 2014, and Friday, and with a 9-year-old between March 9, 2014, and Friday. Prosecutors on Monday said that they believe they had a “strong case.”

Ellis’ wife is listed in court documents as a witness for the prosecution. It is unclear at this point if her address is the same as Ellis’, though a neighbor on Thursday said he believed a man and woman lived in the residence.

At his first appearance, Ellis was ordered not to have contact with any witnesses. When he asked if he could speak with his wife, he was denied.

Ellis has been in the Douglas County Jail since his arrest Saturday on a $500,000 bond. If convicted, Ellis faces a “Hard 40,” or minimum 40 years in prison, for each count, according to prosecutors.