Kent PD: Suspect arrested for child sex assault after DNA match breaks cold case

KENT, Wash. — The Kent Police Department announced Wednesday that a suspect was arrested in connection to a child sex assault cold case using DNA technology.

According to a post on Facebook from the Kent Police Department, a 31-year-old man was arrested in connection to the 2013 sexual assault of a 6-year-old at a local retail store. The Kent Police Assault Unit received a DNA match from the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) from the evidence collected at the scene years ago.

The assault happened on May 19, 2013, at a local retail store when the victim was a 6-year-old who was shopping with her mother. The man went into the store and while the mother was at check-out, he walked up to the victim and sexually assaulted them. The suspect then left the scene.

Store employees immediately helped the mother until police arrived at the scene. Patrol officers responded to the scene and quickly gathered surveillance video and physical evidence from the scene.

Detectives with the Kent Police Department took over the case and gathered further evidence regarding the case. But, the case was stalled and went cold for several years.

Police said a breakthrough in the investigation came on Aug. 6, when the Kent Police Assault Unit received a DNA match from the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) on the evidence collected at the scene years prior.

The match identified the man whose last known address was linked to Joint Base Lewis-McChord, where he was stationed in 2013. The man moved to Texas, where police found he had a recent conviction crime against children. That conviction led to his mandatory DNA sample submission.

In October of this year, the case was re-assigned to a detective with the Special Assault Unit who coordinated closely with the King County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to obtain an arrest warrant.

In cooperation with the Brazoria County Sheriff’s Office, the suspect was arrested without incident and extradited to King County.

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