Syracuse, NY - After David Renz raped a ten-year-old and moved to bind 47-year-old Lori Bresnahan to the headrest of her car, the woman told the child to run as she struggled with her attacker, Onondaga County District Attorney William Fitzpatrick said this morning.

The child, whose hands had been tied behind her back, managed to open the car door and run down Verplank Road, where she was assisted by two passersby, Fitzpatrick said. The girl did not witness the stabbing death of Bresnahan.

Fitzpatrick released details of the attack on the woman and child during a news conference to announce a 37-count indictment returned by an Onondaga County Grand Jury against Renz, 29.

Fitzpatrick described the attack:

Renz abducted Bresnahan and the child outside of the Great Northern Mall as they were leaving a gymnastics class around 8 p.m.

He brandished a weapon that looked like a pistol, forced himself inside Bresnahan's car and instructed Bresnahan to drive to a remote location in the mall parking lot.

Renz then used twist ties to bind Bresnahan's hands behind her back. Renz then began sexually assaulting the 10-year-old whose hands he had tied behind her back. The girl later required surgery, Fitzpatrick said.

The defendant drove the victim's car out of the parking lot and stopped on Verplank Road, where the car became stuck in the snow.

At that point, Renz began strangling Bresnahan and attempted to tie her head to the headrest of the car with cable ties. Bresnahan put up a fight and told the girl to run. The girl opened the back door and ran.

As the girl ran away, she noticed Bresnahan was able to break free from the car. She saw Renz chasing Bresnahan around the car, but did not witness the murder.

Two citizens driving on Verplank Road saw the girl running and stopped. They helped her and called 911 at 8:58 p.m. They did not see Renz, who had run into the woods.

"They were undoubtedly able to save (the girl's) life," said Fitzpatrick.

State police officers began tracking Renz on foot and with K-9 units. They were helped by the Sheriff's Office and the Air One Helicopter. At 9:53 p.m., an officer saw a person matching a description of the suspect, stopped his car and tackled David Renz.

Renz had Bresnahan's keys in his pocket and blood on his clothes, said Fitzpatrick. DNA testing matched the blood to the little girl, whose identity has not been released to protect her privacy.

The girl was able to identify Renz after his arrest and he has been charged today with first-degree murder and other charges. Fitzpatrick said he will pursue the maximum penalty of life without parole for Renz.

The 37-count indictment returned by a grand jury today includes charges of first-and second-degree murder, first-and second-degree kidnapping, predatory sexual assault, predatory sexual assault against a child, first-degree sexual abuse, second-degree menacing, criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth-degree and possessing a sexual performance by a child.

Fitzpatrick said investigators have recovered receipts for an airgun bought from a Wal-Mart store before the attack, as well as cable ties bought at a Home Depot. A knife was recovered in a wooded area off Verplank Road.

He also said some of the child pornography confiscated from Renz included scenes that mirrored the attack. He said he will ask that the pornography be used as evidence against Renz during his trial.

Renz is also facing federal child pornography charges.

Before the attack, Renz had disabled an electronic monitoring device on his ankle that he was required to wear as a condition of his release from jail in January on the child porn charges, according to police and prosecutors.

Fitzpatrick said investigators were still looking into whether Bresnahan and the child were specific targets. He said a review of Renz's ankle bracelet data, which has not yet been processed, could shed some light on what appeared at first glance to be a random act of violence.