FBI - Potomac River Rapist Cold Case - Seeking Information $25,000 Reward in Cold Case
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FBI - Potomac River Rapist Cold Case - Seeking Information $25,000 Reward in Cold Case
Gary Dee Wed 20 Jun - 8:13
The FBI and its law enforcement partners are reaching out to the public—and a reward of up to $25,000 is being offered by Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)—for assistance in apprehending the offender known as the Potomac River Rapist.
STORY
Christine Mirzayan was 29 years old, a National Academy of Sciences intern, and had a promising career ahead of her on the summer evening in 1998 when she was walking home from a cookout in Washington, D.C. Tragically, she never made it. Her killer—a serial rapist who had previously attacked eight other women—is still at large.
Today, the FBI and its law enforcement partners are reaching out to the public—and a reward of up to $25,000 is being offered by Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)—for assistance in apprehending the offender known as the Potomac River Rapist.
Christine Mirzayan was the last known victim of the Potomac River Rapist. On the evening of August 1, 1998, the 29-year-old had walked to a friend’s cookout in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. Recently married, Mirzayan had come to Washington from San Francisco for an internship at the National Academy of Sciences and was living in student housing at Georgetown University.
When the cookout was over, a group of her friends decided to go out dancing, but Mirzayan declined because she was recovering from the flu. She started to walk home by herself, but she never made it. On her way, she was raped and repeatedly bludgeoned with a 73-pound rock.
Two witnesses later told police they had seen Mirzayan walking along a dark stretch of road with a man following her. The witnesses helped police create a sketch of that individual—which has since been age-enhanced—and he is being sought in connection with the case.
Between 1991 and Mirzayan’s murder seven years later, the Potomac River Rapist brazenly and brutally preyed upon women in the Washington area. Victims were attacked in their homes and included an 18-year-old babysitter and a mother whose infant was in the house at the time of the attack. Seven of the nine attacks have been linked by DNA, and all are linked by the offender’s similar violent methods.
“It is believed the suspect lived in, spent a considerable amount of time in, or was otherwise familiar with the areas of the attacks,” said Special Agent Erin Sheridan. “The suspect is generally described as an African-American male of medium build who is currently believed to be in his 40s or 50s.”
A task force—made up of the FBI, MPD, Maryland’s Montgomery County Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia—is working to capture the Potomac River Rapist. Using a variety of digital platforms such as FBI.gov, social media, radio spots, and digital billboards, the media campaign provides information about the case and the offender.
“We believe that someone in the public will help solve this case,” Sheridan said. “Because law enforcement is in possession of DNA evidence that can either positively link the suspect to his crimes or exclude innocent parties, the public should not hesitate to provide information, even if it is just the name of a potential suspect.”
Witnesses at the time of Mirzayan’s murder helped artists create a composite sketch that has since been age-enhanced. That individual is being sought in connection with the case.
Most of the assaults followed a similar pattern. “The rapist used a blitz attack, surprising his victims with force—sometimes wielding a knife or screwdriver—and throwing a blanket or towel over their heads,” said Capt. David Gillespie of the Montgomery County Police Department. “He often stalked his targets, breaking into their homes and waiting, sometimes for hours, for them to come home.”
“It has been more than 20 years since this predator began stalking, hunting, and sexually assaulting women,” said Todd Williams, an MPD detective who is part of the Potomac River Rapist Task Force. “He became increasingly violent during these attacks and killed Christine Mirzayan by bludgeoning her with a boulder. He is extremely violent and dangerous and needs to be caught and taken off the streets.”
We need your help. Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information to contact the MPD at (202) 727-9099 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the police department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. You can also submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/december/seeking-potomac-river-rapist/potomac-river-rapist-cold-case
PRESS RELEASE
Today, the FBI launched a media campaign that includes a reward of up to $25,000 offered by the Metropolitan Police Department to assist investigators in catching a cold-case serial rapist and murderer who attacked women in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Between May 6, 1991, and Aug. 1, 1998, a single assailant sexually assaulted eight women, attempted another sexual assault, and committed one homicide in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The victims ranged in age from 18 to 41 years old. Seven of the nine attacks have now been linked by DNA and all are linked by modus operandi.
The case is being investigated by the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and the FBI’s Washington Field Office with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Homicide victim, Christine Mirzayan, a 29-year-old intern, was attacked and murdered while walking to her residence in the Georgetown area of the District of Columbia, on Aug. 1, 1998. In addition to being sexually assaulted, she was struck multiple times in the head with a rock and her body was left yards from the Whitehurst Freeway. The other sexual assaults took place in Montgomery County, Md.
“In law enforcement, we understand that justice delayed does not mean that justice will be denied,” said U.S Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr. “We are committed to obtaining justice for Christine Mirzayan and the other victims of the Potomac River Rapist, but we need the public’s help. One piece of information from the public—no matter how insignificant it might seem—could crack this case and allow us to apprehend this killer.”
“We have been able to link an unknown subject to most of the attacks committed in Montgomery County, and to the murder of Ms. Mirzayan in Georgetown,” said Captain David Gillespie, Director of the Major Crimes Division, Montgomery County, Md., Police Department. “We believe that this subject resided in, or had ties to Montgomery County, and we hope that with the community’s help, we will be able to identify him.”
“It is unlikely that a criminal who committed such heinous acts of violence against women would stop,” said Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department. “We need the public’s help in identifying and locating this violent predator.”
“The public is our best weapon in solving this case. We need you to think about this information, jog your memory, and call law enforcement if you think you know anything that could help us,” said Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Law enforcement is seeking any information related to the assaults and murder in order to apprehend the assailant, dubbed the Potomac River Rapist. The Potomac River Rapist is described as an African-American male, between 5’8”-5’11” tall, with a medium build. At the time of the assaults, he was believed to be in his late-20s to late-30s. Since time has progressed, he is believed to be in his late-40s to late-50s.
Most of the assaults followed a particular pattern. The assailant used a “blitz” attack by throwing a blanket or towel over the victim’s head. All of the sexual assault victims, except for the murder, were attacked in their homes or private residences. All attacks took place during weekday evenings except for the murder, which occurred on a Saturday night.
The dates and locations of these assaults are:
* Monday, May 6, 1991 / 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. / Washingtonian Woods, Gaithersburg, Md.
* Thursday, Sept. 5, 1991 / 10:00 p.m. - 10:30p.m. / Watkins Meadows, Germantown, Md.
* Thursday, Nov. 21, 1991 / 9:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. / Potomac Village/Downtown, Bethesda, Md.
* Wednesday, Dec. 11, 1991 / 8:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. / Quince Orchard Knolls, North Potomac, Md.
* Friday, Jan. 24, 1992 9:00 p.m. / Potomac Grove / North Potomac, Md.
* Tuesday, March 8, 1994 / 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. / Highwood, Rockville, Md.
* Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1997 / 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. / Rock Creek Manor, Rockville, Md.
* Friday, Nov. 14, 1997 / 7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. / New Hampshire Avenue/Rt. 198, Silver Spring, Md.
* Saturday, Aug. 1, 1998 / 10:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. / 3600 block Canal Road, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
The public is asked to review the information and consider whether they know someone who generally fits this description, who lived or had ties to the area around the times of the assaults or who may have been known to spend considerable amounts of time in those areas.
People who know the suspect may not believe that he is capable of committing these crimes. He may not necessarily have a violent criminal history. Because investigators are in possession of DNA evidence that can either positively link the suspect to his crimes or exclude innocent parties, citizens should not hesitate to provide information, even if it is just the name of a potential suspect.
The digital media campaign includes the launch of a dedicated website ; digital billboards up and down the East Coast; social media alerts on Twitter , Facebook , and YouTube ; as well as podcasts on iTunes and radio spots to raise awareness of the investigation. The multi-pronged effort is designed to develop new leads and raise awareness of the ongoing cold-case investigation. The campaign implements similar techniques that have led to the arrests in cases including the East Coast Rapist as well as Ten Most Wanted fugitive Whitey Bulger.
Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information to contact MPD at (202) 727-9099 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the police department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.
http://www.fbi.gov/washingtondc/press-releases/2011/fbi-seeks-information-leading-to-the-arrest-of-the-potomac-river-rapist
Cold Case: DNA Links Potomac River Rapist To 1996 Sexual Assault
WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — A 1996 sexual assault has been linked through DNA to the same man believed responsible for nine other attacks on women in the District of Columbia and Maryland, police and the FBI said Thursday.
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said authorities made the connection when they recently retested a DNA sample collected after the 1996 attack, which occurred when a women walking at night in a well-to-do upper northwest Washington neighborhood was pulled off the sidewalk, dragged into the woods and sexually assaulted.
The assault took place less than two miles from the last known attack authorities have linked to the man — the Aug. 1, 1998 murder of Christine Mirzayan. The 28-year-old biochemist was raped and bludgeoned to death with a heavy rock while walking home in Georgetown from a friend’s cookout.
“The investigation has led us to believe that the individual may have ties to the area,” Lanier said at a news conference on the same block where the July 20, 1996, attack occurred.
John Walsh, longtime television host of America’s Most Wanted, was also on hand to announce the latest revelation in the case.
The FBI in December announced a $25,000 reward and launched a publicity campaign aimed at drumming up tips and leads on the suspect, who police had already linked either through DNA or other analysis to nine attacks between 1991 and 1998. The two D.C. attacks occurred outside on a Saturday night, but all of the Montgomery County sexual assaults occurred inside a home or private residence.
Police said the man often stalked his victims in advance, threw a towel or blanket over their head at the start of the attack and overpowered them with his strength and athleticism.
Authorities have said the victims ranged in age from 18 — a teenage babysitter — to women in their 40s.
But because it’s been 14 years since an attack, authorities have said they’re not positive if the suspect is still in the area or even still alive.
“We’re not sure why it’s been so long since we’ve had anything (else),” said Lt. Robert Alder of the D.C. police department’s homicide branch.
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/06/14/additional-sexual-assault-linked-through-dna-to-potomac-river-rapist/
STORY
Christine Mirzayan was 29 years old, a National Academy of Sciences intern, and had a promising career ahead of her on the summer evening in 1998 when she was walking home from a cookout in Washington, D.C. Tragically, she never made it. Her killer—a serial rapist who had previously attacked eight other women—is still at large.
Today, the FBI and its law enforcement partners are reaching out to the public—and a reward of up to $25,000 is being offered by Washington’s Metropolitan Police Department (MPD)—for assistance in apprehending the offender known as the Potomac River Rapist.
Christine Mirzayan was the last known victim of the Potomac River Rapist. On the evening of August 1, 1998, the 29-year-old had walked to a friend’s cookout in the Georgetown area of Washington, D.C. Recently married, Mirzayan had come to Washington from San Francisco for an internship at the National Academy of Sciences and was living in student housing at Georgetown University.
When the cookout was over, a group of her friends decided to go out dancing, but Mirzayan declined because she was recovering from the flu. She started to walk home by herself, but she never made it. On her way, she was raped and repeatedly bludgeoned with a 73-pound rock.
Two witnesses later told police they had seen Mirzayan walking along a dark stretch of road with a man following her. The witnesses helped police create a sketch of that individual—which has since been age-enhanced—and he is being sought in connection with the case.
Between 1991 and Mirzayan’s murder seven years later, the Potomac River Rapist brazenly and brutally preyed upon women in the Washington area. Victims were attacked in their homes and included an 18-year-old babysitter and a mother whose infant was in the house at the time of the attack. Seven of the nine attacks have been linked by DNA, and all are linked by the offender’s similar violent methods.
“It is believed the suspect lived in, spent a considerable amount of time in, or was otherwise familiar with the areas of the attacks,” said Special Agent Erin Sheridan. “The suspect is generally described as an African-American male of medium build who is currently believed to be in his 40s or 50s.”
A task force—made up of the FBI, MPD, Maryland’s Montgomery County Police Department, and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia—is working to capture the Potomac River Rapist. Using a variety of digital platforms such as FBI.gov, social media, radio spots, and digital billboards, the media campaign provides information about the case and the offender.
“We believe that someone in the public will help solve this case,” Sheridan said. “Because law enforcement is in possession of DNA evidence that can either positively link the suspect to his crimes or exclude innocent parties, the public should not hesitate to provide information, even if it is just the name of a potential suspect.”
Witnesses at the time of Mirzayan’s murder helped artists create a composite sketch that has since been age-enhanced. That individual is being sought in connection with the case.
Most of the assaults followed a similar pattern. “The rapist used a blitz attack, surprising his victims with force—sometimes wielding a knife or screwdriver—and throwing a blanket or towel over their heads,” said Capt. David Gillespie of the Montgomery County Police Department. “He often stalked his targets, breaking into their homes and waiting, sometimes for hours, for them to come home.”
“It has been more than 20 years since this predator began stalking, hunting, and sexually assaulting women,” said Todd Williams, an MPD detective who is part of the Potomac River Rapist Task Force. “He became increasingly violent during these attacks and killed Christine Mirzayan by bludgeoning her with a boulder. He is extremely violent and dangerous and needs to be caught and taken off the streets.”
We need your help. Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information to contact the MPD at (202) 727-9099 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the police department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411. You can also submit a tip at tips.fbi.gov
http://www.fbi.gov/news/stories/2011/december/seeking-potomac-river-rapist/potomac-river-rapist-cold-case
PRESS RELEASE
Today, the FBI launched a media campaign that includes a reward of up to $25,000 offered by the Metropolitan Police Department to assist investigators in catching a cold-case serial rapist and murderer who attacked women in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area.
Between May 6, 1991, and Aug. 1, 1998, a single assailant sexually assaulted eight women, attempted another sexual assault, and committed one homicide in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. The victims ranged in age from 18 to 41 years old. Seven of the nine attacks have now been linked by DNA and all are linked by modus operandi.
The case is being investigated by the Montgomery County, Md., Police Department, Metropolitan Police Department (MPD), and the FBI’s Washington Field Office with assistance from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia.
Homicide victim, Christine Mirzayan, a 29-year-old intern, was attacked and murdered while walking to her residence in the Georgetown area of the District of Columbia, on Aug. 1, 1998. In addition to being sexually assaulted, she was struck multiple times in the head with a rock and her body was left yards from the Whitehurst Freeway. The other sexual assaults took place in Montgomery County, Md.
“In law enforcement, we understand that justice delayed does not mean that justice will be denied,” said U.S Attorney Ronald C. Machen, Jr. “We are committed to obtaining justice for Christine Mirzayan and the other victims of the Potomac River Rapist, but we need the public’s help. One piece of information from the public—no matter how insignificant it might seem—could crack this case and allow us to apprehend this killer.”
“We have been able to link an unknown subject to most of the attacks committed in Montgomery County, and to the murder of Ms. Mirzayan in Georgetown,” said Captain David Gillespie, Director of the Major Crimes Division, Montgomery County, Md., Police Department. “We believe that this subject resided in, or had ties to Montgomery County, and we hope that with the community’s help, we will be able to identify him.”
“It is unlikely that a criminal who committed such heinous acts of violence against women would stop,” said Chief Cathy L. Lanier of the Metropolitan Police Department. “We need the public’s help in identifying and locating this violent predator.”
“The public is our best weapon in solving this case. We need you to think about this information, jog your memory, and call law enforcement if you think you know anything that could help us,” said Ronald T. Hosko, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI Washington Field Office’s Criminal Division.
Law enforcement is seeking any information related to the assaults and murder in order to apprehend the assailant, dubbed the Potomac River Rapist. The Potomac River Rapist is described as an African-American male, between 5’8”-5’11” tall, with a medium build. At the time of the assaults, he was believed to be in his late-20s to late-30s. Since time has progressed, he is believed to be in his late-40s to late-50s.
Most of the assaults followed a particular pattern. The assailant used a “blitz” attack by throwing a blanket or towel over the victim’s head. All of the sexual assault victims, except for the murder, were attacked in their homes or private residences. All attacks took place during weekday evenings except for the murder, which occurred on a Saturday night.
The dates and locations of these assaults are:
* Monday, May 6, 1991 / 8:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. / Washingtonian Woods, Gaithersburg, Md.
* Thursday, Sept. 5, 1991 / 10:00 p.m. - 10:30p.m. / Watkins Meadows, Germantown, Md.
* Thursday, Nov. 21, 1991 / 9:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. / Potomac Village/Downtown, Bethesda, Md.
* Wednesday, Dec. 11, 1991 / 8:30 p.m. - 9:00 p.m. / Quince Orchard Knolls, North Potomac, Md.
* Friday, Jan. 24, 1992 9:00 p.m. / Potomac Grove / North Potomac, Md.
* Tuesday, March 8, 1994 / 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. / Highwood, Rockville, Md.
* Wednesday, Feb. 26, 1997 / 7:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. / Rock Creek Manor, Rockville, Md.
* Friday, Nov. 14, 1997 / 7:30 p.m. - 8:00 p.m. / New Hampshire Avenue/Rt. 198, Silver Spring, Md.
* Saturday, Aug. 1, 1998 / 10:30 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. / 3600 block Canal Road, Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
The public is asked to review the information and consider whether they know someone who generally fits this description, who lived or had ties to the area around the times of the assaults or who may have been known to spend considerable amounts of time in those areas.
People who know the suspect may not believe that he is capable of committing these crimes. He may not necessarily have a violent criminal history. Because investigators are in possession of DNA evidence that can either positively link the suspect to his crimes or exclude innocent parties, citizens should not hesitate to provide information, even if it is just the name of a potential suspect.
The digital media campaign includes the launch of a dedicated website ; digital billboards up and down the East Coast; social media alerts on Twitter , Facebook , and YouTube ; as well as podcasts on iTunes and radio spots to raise awareness of the investigation. The multi-pronged effort is designed to develop new leads and raise awareness of the ongoing cold-case investigation. The campaign implements similar techniques that have led to the arrests in cases including the East Coast Rapist as well as Ten Most Wanted fugitive Whitey Bulger.
Law enforcement agencies are asking anyone with information to contact MPD at (202) 727-9099 or the FBI at 1-800-CALL-FBI (1-800-225-5324). Additionally, anonymous information may be submitted to the police department’s TEXT TIP LINE by text messaging 50411.
http://www.fbi.gov/washingtondc/press-releases/2011/fbi-seeks-information-leading-to-the-arrest-of-the-potomac-river-rapist
Cold Case: DNA Links Potomac River Rapist To 1996 Sexual Assault
WASHINGTON (CBSDC/AP) — A 1996 sexual assault has been linked through DNA to the same man believed responsible for nine other attacks on women in the District of Columbia and Maryland, police and the FBI said Thursday.
D.C. Police Chief Cathy Lanier said authorities made the connection when they recently retested a DNA sample collected after the 1996 attack, which occurred when a women walking at night in a well-to-do upper northwest Washington neighborhood was pulled off the sidewalk, dragged into the woods and sexually assaulted.
The assault took place less than two miles from the last known attack authorities have linked to the man — the Aug. 1, 1998 murder of Christine Mirzayan. The 28-year-old biochemist was raped and bludgeoned to death with a heavy rock while walking home in Georgetown from a friend’s cookout.
“The investigation has led us to believe that the individual may have ties to the area,” Lanier said at a news conference on the same block where the July 20, 1996, attack occurred.
John Walsh, longtime television host of America’s Most Wanted, was also on hand to announce the latest revelation in the case.
The FBI in December announced a $25,000 reward and launched a publicity campaign aimed at drumming up tips and leads on the suspect, who police had already linked either through DNA or other analysis to nine attacks between 1991 and 1998. The two D.C. attacks occurred outside on a Saturday night, but all of the Montgomery County sexual assaults occurred inside a home or private residence.
Police said the man often stalked his victims in advance, threw a towel or blanket over their head at the start of the attack and overpowered them with his strength and athleticism.
Authorities have said the victims ranged in age from 18 — a teenage babysitter — to women in their 40s.
But because it’s been 14 years since an attack, authorities have said they’re not positive if the suspect is still in the area or even still alive.
“We’re not sure why it’s been so long since we’ve had anything (else),” said Lt. Robert Alder of the D.C. police department’s homicide branch.
http://washington.cbslocal.com/2012/06/14/additional-sexual-assault-linked-through-dna-to-potomac-river-rapist/
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