Jury selection starts in trial of Fort Myers man accused of raping maid

Published: Updated:
(Broward Sheriff’s Office)

Jury selection of a Fort Myers man accused of sexually assaulting his maid is underway Tuesday.

David Ralston, 71, is accused of drugging and sexually assaulting his victim, a maid he hired from Craigslist, at his home on Gleneagle Court in Fort Myers back in 2016.

Lee County Sheriff’s Office detectives say they obtained surveillance video of the alleged assault from the home of Ralston, who was a professor in the Department of Management & International Business at the College of Business at Florida International University.

MORE: FIU professor arrested in Fort Myers sex assault case

A year after the arrest, Ralston’s accuser died in a motorcycle accident off of Summerlin Road and Boy Scout Drive. Now, the victim’s family say her death changes nothing in the case, and they plan to go to the trial next month to give her justice and peace.

Ralston’s attorney, Shannon McFee, previously asked for, “A disclosure of his accused victim’s toxicology report.” According to Ralston’s lawyer, the toxicology can exonerate him.

McFee believes the toxicology report can prove the victim was a regular drug user, and that Ralston never gave her any drugs.

According to Lee County Deputies, home security video captured the victim falling on Ralston’s patio table and then shows him fondling her while she’s apparently heavily disoriented.

Copyright ©2024 Fort Myers Broadcasting. All rights reserved.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed without prior written consent.