Public Servants Solve Decade-long East Coast Rapist Case

The Prince William County Police along with police from other jurisdictions solved the East Coast Rapist case  last week which had been an open case since 1997.  The alleged rapist is originally from Berryville, VA, where his mother still lives.  He raped women in Virginia, Maryland, Connecticut and Rhode Island before being apprehended.  His latest victims were 3 Dale City teens who were walking home after trick or treating over in Dale City in 2009. 

A police effort recently put up a series of roadway graphics along the interstates on the east coast in hopes on finding this criminal.   Thousands of tips came in and one paid off.  Aaron Thomas, 39  was arrested late last week.  PWC police connected the dots that he was probably a truck driver.  They also cashed in on capturing his DNA from a carelessly discarded cigarette while he was appearing in court over something unrelated. 

The Washington Post  reports:

Authorities announced Saturday that Thomas has been charged with sex assault, burglary and risk of injury to a minor in connection with a January 2007 attack on a New Haven, Conn., woman that occurred in her apartment as her infant son slept in a crib nearby.

Thomas, who is being held on a $1 million bond, also is charged with two counts of rape, abduction and a firearm count in connection with a Halloween 2009 attack of three teenage girls in Prince William County, law enforcement officials said.

Prince William County officers poured over thousands of tips and clues.  Finally, it was an acquaintance that gave them the information they needed.  They were able to track the criminal, Aaron H. Thomas, to a court appearance in Connecticut.  Thomas discarded a cigarette during a break and officers picked it up, sent it to the lab,, and all the dots connected.    These efforts do not take place in a vacuum.  The coordination of fine police work amongst multiple jurisdictions made the arrest possible.

Authorities announced Saturday that Thomas has been charged with sex assault, burglary and risk of injury to a minor in connection with a January 2007 attack on a New Haven, Conn., woman that occurred in her apartment as her infant son slept in a crib nearby.

Thomas, who is being held on a $1 million bond, also is charged with two counts of rape, abduction and a firearm count in connection with a Halloween 2009 attack of three teenage girls in Prince William County, law enforcement officials said.

All the details are not yet available.  However, when people start suggesting that public employees aren’t deserving of raises and benefits, people need to think about the thousands of bits of information that officers poured over, not just in Prince William but also in jurisdictions in Maryland, Connecticut and Rhode Island.  There were probably others also.  These officers worked together in most cases exchanging information, tips and data. 

What level of service do you want?  Solving crimes like this one required skill, cooperation, flexibility, and the ability to think outside the box.    Solving a case like this is a result of good training and the ability to attract quality people with good instincts.  Your average bubba isn’t going to be cracking a case like this one with all its complexities.  Highly qualified, highly trained superior police personnel are needed to apply their skills in a case requiring this many variables.  This case  is hardly a job for volunteers as someone suggested earlier this week. 

Prince William police  had no pay raises, have had  both uniformed and un-uniformed police personnel cuts,  and yet these dedicated folks still solved one of the toughest cases of the past decade.  We should be saluting police officers rather than having them worry if they will be able to continue to do this kind of work, simply because they can’t make ends meet.  In this area the ability to keep good officers is really tough.  Prince William  can’t compete with the contractor pay for those contracted to work with Homeland Security in particular.  US Marshals are paying much more than local cop pay for air Marshals. 

Even Scott Walker let the Wisconsin officers off the collective bargaining hook.   There is no free lunch.  We need to attract and keep highly skilled, highly trained professional police personnel if we want to solve crimes like the east coast rapist case.  Congratulations on a job well done to all officers involved.

Interactive chart of the 13 year crime spree

Monday update