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Two Utah women who allegedly attempted a home invasion last week while dressed in ninja costumes were charged Thursday with three felonies, including retaliation against a witness or a victim.
The two came armed with knives, a stun gun, a screwdriver, a tourniquet, syringes and formalin — which is about 40 percent formaldehyde and which one of the defendants said was so strong it could be used to knock someone out, according to charges filed in 3rd District Court.
The West Jordan house where the women were arrested is the home of a 14-year-old girl who allegedly was raped in the spring by her uncle, according to charges.
The 45-year-old uncle is in jail awaiting trial on one count of rape, a first-degree felony.
West Jordan police have said the two women, ages 22 and 19, both claim to be married to the uncle, but they do not believe the women and the uncle belong to a polygamist church. They said the two were dressed as ninjas during the alleged home invasion.
The 22-year-old woman is the uncle's wife, and the other woman is his girlfriend, according to charges. Both women allegedly wore black masks and black latex gloves to the home.
The defendants and the home's occupants are all part of an extended family, police say. The Tribune is not naming the women to protect the identity of the alleged victim.
In addition to the third-degree felony retaliation count, the women are charged with first-degree felony aggravated burglary and third-degree felony aggravated assault. Both women are being held on a $1 million cash-only bail.
On Sept. 19, the defendants entered a home near 9300 South and 4800 West, according to charges. A friend of the family who was spending the night in the home was watching television in the downstairs living room when he heard creaking upstairs and went to investigate, charges state.
The man allegedly found two people dressed in black with their faces covered coming down the stairs who lunged at him and put their hands on his throat. When he took the mask off one of them, he recognized her as a woman who had attended court hearings in the uncle's rape case, according to charges.
The homeowner heard yelling, came out of his bedroom and was grazed on the left forearm by the stun gun, which was deployed by one of the defendants, charges state. He allegedly wrestled the woman to the floor.
When officers arrived at about 4 a.m., they found the friend holding down the 19-year-old and the homeowner standing nearby holding a samurai sword, charges state.
A scheduling hearing in the uncle's rape case had been set for Tuesday, but was postponed until November, according to the court docket.
No court dates have been set for the two women.
Twitter: @PamelaMansonSLC