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 [ Thursday, Oct. 7, 2004 ] Police discover link in rapes
A database has found a match in DNA from a 2000 rape at the Blue Golf Course with a 1999 rape at a Michigan golf course.
By Claudia Vargas
Collegian Staff Writer
Penn State University Police said yesterday that they have a "significant lead" in an ongoing investigation of a rape that occurred in 2000 at the Blue Golf Course. A DNA database enabled Penn State police and the Oakland County Sheriff's Department in Pontiac, Mich., to link the rape to a suspect of another rape case in Oakland, Mich. "... We know by DNA that it was the same man," University Police Supervisor Dwight Smith said. |
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The Oakland rape took place Sept. 6, 1999, at the Twin Lakes Golf Course. In both cases the suspect is described as either of Hispanic or Italian ethnicity and about 5 feet 9 inches tall. "Because they were a year apart from each other and [the composite sketches were done] by different people, they aren't identical, but there are close similarities," Smith said. Police have yet to identify a suspect, but will continue investigating. Police said the suspect "might have committed others [rapes] that we aren't aware of," because the DNA database is sometimes backed up, Smith said. The suspect raped the Penn State student at knifepoint at about 8:15 p.m. July 27, 2000, after he attacked her while she was jogging on the golf course. Since both rapes were committed on golf courses, Smith said the rapist might have a connection to or work at golf courses. Smith said victims' accounts are very hard to understand and the suspect could have changed weight or gotten more tan. Oakland County Sgt. Dave Wurtz could not comment on the case because he did not want to hinder the investigation. University police encourage anyone with information on these cases to contact the University Police Investigations Unit at 865-1864. | ||||
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