Elderly woman fights off man trying to rape her

HOUSTON (KTRK) -- An elderly Houston activist is recovering in the hospital now after fighting off a man who her family says tried to rape and kill her.

We are not identifying the victim because of the sex crime, however her daugher Anjela Byer says the attacker was someone her mother knows.

"This man tried to kill her. He told her he was going to kill her. He put a pillow over her face and told her that she was going to die," Byer said.

Police say the attack occurred Wednesday afternoon in the 6000 of Rook in Southeast Houston. Byer says her mother, who is 82 years old, was somehow able to fight off the attacker.

"She says she put both her hands together, and thumbs like this, and then she was able to BANG him with her forearm, which is now purple," Byer said.

According to Byer, her mother also blacked out during the attack. Byer believes the man who was trying to hurt her believed she was dead.

He has since disappeared. Byer says she knows who the man is, that his mother trusted him.

Police have not made any arrest but they are investigating this case.