1983 sex assault mystery solved by DNA testing

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Timothy Norris. Image: CNN

A Florida woman who woke up to a stranger sexually assaulting her 36 years ago may finally get justice after DNA helped crack the brutal rape case. 

The attack happened on August 22, 1983, in the victim’s home in Coral Springs. The woman was in her bedroom about 6 a.m. when a man held a steak knife to her neck, CNN affiliate WPEC reported

DNA collected at the scene was later sent to a crime lab, but the technology available at the time did not identify a suspect, police said.

The case went cold — until the victim reached out to the police in March after she saw stories of how investigators are using DNA to solve cases.

Investigators reviewing evidence as part of a cold case initiative sent some items to the Broward Sheriff’s Office crime lab for processing using updated technology. On June 27, detectives determined a DNA sample from the victim’s clothing belonged to convicted criminal Timothy Norris, police said.

Norris, who is serving a federal sentence in West Virginia for armed bank robbery, has been charged with sexual battery with a weapon and is awaiting extradition to Florida.

Read full, original post: A woman woke up to a stranger assaulting her in 1983. A DNA match finally led to an arrest

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