Rape Suspect Accused Of High School Assault

CLARKSVILLE, Tenn. -- Channel 4 News dug deeper into the story of the man who is accused of raping Middle Tennessee women for 15 years.

Video: Serial Rape Suspect Was Accused Of High School Assault

Since the arrest of Robert Jason Burdick in this high profile case, a Clarksville woman who was his high school sweetheart has been following the case attentively.

"He'd never shown any signs. He was always a gentleman for the most part when we were dating," said the former girlfriend, who did not want to be identified.

However, Burdick punched and assaulted a girlfriend in public when he was 17 years old.

Burdick seemed like an average American teenager until Nov. 3, 1987.

"I was walking away from him, and I had my hair in a banana clip walking away. He grabbed me by my hair and spun me around and hit me. It just happened so fast," said the former girlfriend.

According to the police report, Burdick hit his ex-girlfriend in the face with his fists then left the old Clarksville Mall before police arrived.

Days later, he was called before a judge who sent him to Spencer Youth Center with a verbal warning.

"(The judge) said, 'I should send you to adult court, but I think you're worth saving,'" said the former girlfriend.

With Burdick now a suspect in at least 13 different rapes, she said she's not sure the judge made the right decision. However, she understands how it happened because Burdick, she said, had everyone fooled.

"You never know. It just goes to show you that you never know people," said the former girlfriend.

After the assault, Burdick's ex-girlfriend said she was harassed for months and had her lawn set on fire.

She said she's not sure if Burdick was the culprit or whether one of his friends was responsible.

Burdick turned 18 on Dec. 7, 1988. Had the assault on his girlfriend happened just a month later, he would have been charged as an adult.