BILLINGS - A Billings man is in custody after allegedly attempting to strangle a woman to death.

Jacob Neal Carroll, 27, is charged with attempted deliberate homicide.
Court documents say shortly before 3 a.m. last Saturday, Billings Police were called to a disturbance at a southside residence. Inside they found a trail of blood that lead down a hallway, and a pair of bloody fingerprints on a door.

Officers forced their way into the bathroom. That is where they said they saw Carroll straddling the victim on the floor with both hands wrapped around her neck. Officers said the victim was purple, was not breathing and they feared that she was dead.

The officers said they attempted several times to pull Carroll off the victim, but were unsuccessful and were forced to deploy their tasers on the man.

Officers preformed CPR on the woman to save her life. She was taken to the hospital and treated and released the next day.

"About one in three women will be victims of domestic violence at some point in their lives," said Erin Matthews, Billings YMCA Domestic Violence Program Manager. She said last year they helped nearly 700 women escape an abuser.

"We have advocates available 24 hours a day, seven days a week via our crisis line which is 259-8100. Give us a call and we will help each individual make a plan for their safety," said Matthews.

It was the victim's neighbor who called 911 to report the dispute. In her statement to police, she said she was woken up by the noises. She said she could hear the victim calling for help and asking someone to call 911. Matthews said it is critical that bystanders speak up.

"Those of us who are looking in on that can be a woman's savior," said Matthews. "If you see something going on, or hear your neighbors in a heated exchange call law enforcement. That's their job is to investigate those things. Certainly it may be a misunderstanding but you really could save a life as was the case with this woman."

Court records show Carroll's blood alcohol level at the time was nearly three times the legal limit. The attempted murder charge carries a sentence of up to life in prison. Carroll has yet to be arraigned in District Court.