SMYRNA, DELAWARE (1/5/2015) DNA evidence led to the arrest of a rape suspect in a cold case from 2013, Smyrna police said today.
Tyrone A. Turcotte, 22, of the 4100 block of N. DuPont Highway, was arrested Friday in connection with the rape of a 14-year-old girl.
The girl was approached from behind on June 5, 2013, as she was walking between the Smyrna Mart shopping center and George Wright Municipal Park. She was dragged into woods and raped. Smyrna police had released information and a description of the rapist at the time.
The victim was treated at Kent General Hospital and DNA evidence was obtained, Cpl. Brandon Dunning said.
The evidence was turned over to a state laboratory for analysis, and the results submitted to the FBI, which notified investigators in December that the DNA matched that of Turcotte.
Dunning said Turcotte’s photo was identified by the victim as her attacker, and she told officers she had seen his picture a few months earlier when he was arrested on a sexual assault charge and his picture published in the media.
A warrant for his arrest was obtained on two counts of rape, kidnapping, strangulation, unlawful sexual contact and assault.
He was being held at Vaughn Correctional Center in lieu of $160,000 cash bond.