MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A Shelby County grand jury has indicted Germantown native and former “Survivor” contestant Silas Gaither on rape and aggravated assault charges.
According to the indictment, the alleged incident took place in May 2018. Gaither was indicted November 13, and a warrant for his arrest was issued a week later.
He was taken into custody November 25 and posted $50,000 bond the same day. The details of the case have not been released.
WREG first started looking into this case in the summer of 2018, soon after the Memphis incident happened.
It took a year and a half for the District Attorney to bring charges.
The victim told WREG she met Gaither through a church Bible study in May of 2018.
She described the alleged rape as “brutal” and “very violent.”
“I was definitely preyed upon,” she said.
In the year and a half since it happened, the victim said she met several other women with similar stories.
“He attacks when you’re least expecting it. He does that with all the women,” she said.
Police in Germantown, Collierville and Clearwater, Florida all confirmed to WREG they opened separate investigations into Gaither. Germantown and Collierville authorities both said they have closed their cases. The status of the Florida case is unclear.
Gaither was on “Survivor” in 2001-2002 and voted off in the season’s sixth episode.
Acquaintances said the 41-year-old graduated from Houston High School and went by “Chip” in school.
No one answered at Gaither’s home address Tuesday, but WREG spoke with a woman who knows him.
“He was the kind of neighbor, if I ever had a crisis, I have someone I can call and he’ll be there in a heartbeat,” Sandy Smith said.
She said Gaither works in construction, and she’s blown away by the charges.
He is due back in court in January.
