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NYC Woman Slashed on Arizona Desert Hike
22 Aug
Summary
- A 27-year-old woman was attacked during a birthday hike.
- She sustained 10 stitches to her neck and three to her hand.
- The suspect, with a prior robbery conviction, was arrested.
A birthday hiking trip in Arizona turned into a nightmare for a 27-year-old New York City woman who was slashed during an assault. The incident occurred last Wednesday on the Havasupai Reservation as she was completing a 10-mile hike.
She encountered a man identified as Taylor Nardo Paya, a Havasupai tribal member with a prior robbery conviction. After a brief interaction, he attacked her from behind, slashing her neck and hand. The victim, Alexis Rowan, required 10 stitches in her neck and three in her left hand.
Rowan's stolen phone was tracked by reservation police, leading to Paya's arrest the following day. Her mother expressed gratitude to a woman who heard her daughter's screams and provided assistance, highlighting her daughter's strong will to survive and return to her children.
