Charles County Sheriff's Office renews efforts to solve serial rape cold case
MD authorities renew effort to solve decades-old serial rape case
Authorities in Charles County are renewing their efforts to solve the decades-old cold case of a serial rapist who attacked almost a dozen women from D.C. and Maryland in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
CHARLES CO., Md. - Authorities in Charles County are renewing their efforts to solve the decades-old cold case of a serial rapist who attacked almost a dozen women from D.C. and Maryland in the late 1990s and early 2000s.
What we know:
The Charles County Sheriff’s Office says the suspect would target women in Prince George’s County, make them get into his car, drive them to Charles County and then sexually assault them. The first case dates all the way back to 1996.
"He would take them down dirt roads or paths that could be blocked by trees to conceal them if there were to be vehicles that would pass by," said Det. Jena Smith with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office.
Detectives say between 1996 and 2003, the suspect targeted women who were walking near the Southern Avenue border in D.C. and Prince George’s County, offering them rides home or to work. In some cases, the victims didn’t have an option.
"Some of them, he used force by displaying a handgun or knife and forced the victims into the vehicle and would drive them down to Charles County where he would sexually assault them," Smith said.
What we don't know:
Through their investigation, detectives were able to link 10 cases to the man but they haven’t been able to identify him.
"All of the 10 victims that we had described him as a black male between 30 and 50 having an overbite, a gap in his teeth. Described him as having pockmarks on his face," Smith said.
The Sheriff’s Office says in the seven-year span of the rapes, the suspect used multiple vehicles, including a "lime green truck, a two-door red passenger car, a four-door red passenger car, a tan box-style car. All from the 90s."
But she adds that closing some of these cases can be difficult, which is why investigators are calling on the community to help. They believe there may be additional victims out there.
"We never give up on working the cold cases," Smith said.
Call With Tips:
The suspect would be between 50 and 70 years old now. Anyone with information on any of these cases or who may know the man in the sketch is asked to call 911.