Washington Co. woman allegedly held hostage by boyfriend speaks out

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Minn. (FOX 9) - A victim of a terrifying attack in her own Lake Elmo home, at the hands of someone she thought she loved, is speaking out to FOX 9, concerned her assailant may have hurt others.

The woman believes the only reason she is alive is her colleagues calling police for a welfare check when she did not show up for work earlier this week.

"He just turned into this monster," Chandra McFarland told FOX 9’s Paul Blume. "I just don't know what made him snap."

The suspect, David Powers, is currently behind bars in the Washington County jail in Stillwater facing rape, kidnapping and domestic assault charges.

Unbeknownst to McFarland, Powers was previously known as David Robakevich and was charged with attempted murder and domestic strangulation in a prior case a decade ago. In those proceedings, he was convicted of domestic assault. 

Authorities have said Powers has dual citizenship with Russia, and was ultimately arrested with four drivers’ licenses containing several aliases. McFarland is now asking herself, who really, is David Powers?

"Absolutely terrified. Just traumatized by the whole incident," said a bruised and battered McFarland, recalling the violent ordeal several days later.

McFarland’s voice is hoarse, her spirit shattered after surviving a horrifying 24-plus hours, explaining, in essence, she was held hostage and violently assaulted by the man she thought she was in love with.

"It was just this constant torture of being held against my will and, you know, strangulation and being choked," said McFarland. "He told me over and over again, I am going to end you. I am going to end you. And I think he was just waiting for the time to do it."

McFarland said Powers had been a dream guy since meeting him through a friend several months ago, describing him as strong, handsome, athletic and fun loving. Their relationship quickly blossomed into romance. 

Last Sunday, they were at a Minnesota United soccer match when the dream turned into a nightmare.

McFarland reports Powers snapped when they both returned back to the house after a night of excessive drinking. She described him, turning into a crazed monster and using his physical strength and threats of violence to keep her from either using her phone or fleeing the situation.

It was not until law enforcement arrived after her colleagues asked for a welfare check when McFarland did not show up for work the next day, that she was able to escape to safety.

"The police eventually breached my premises and ran up the stairs and arrested him," recalled McFarland.

Since his arrest and her two-day hospital stay, McFarland said, she has learned a whole lot more about Powers after a number of other alleged assault victims reached out. She confirmed the 35-year old was previously known by the last name of Robakevich, with a decade-old conviction in Hennepin County for domestic assault by strangulation. The attempted murder charge in that case was dismissed.

Washington County investigators meanwhile reported finding several drivers licenses on him with aliases after his arrest earlier this week. And with a supposed roofing business where he chases storm damage across several other states, McFarland says she had to speak out, to warn and protect other women.

Said McFarland, "Due to the fact that I am at least the third victim, or maybe possibly there could be more out there, I just want him to go away for the rest of his life. I want to bring justice to those other girls and the pain that they've gone through. If he gets out again, he is going to kill somebody. And that was his intent to do with me. I can honestly say that."

"Do your background checks," she continued. "Do your background checks on people that you meet. And just be aware of red flags."

Powers is currently in the Washington County jail. His bail is set at $300,000 with conditions that include surrendering his passport and GPS monitoring. He is due back in court on May 16.

Meanwhile, McFarland is staying with friends as she recovers physically and emotionally from the ordeal. She says, she has no interest in returning to her home that was torn up by Powers while he held her captive. Those close to her are now fundraising to help the nurse with her own recovery.