Lebanon police make arrest in 26-year-old attempted rape case
LEBANON, Ind. (WISH) – Police in Lebanon have made an arrest in a 26-year-old attempted rape case with the help of DNA evidence.
Lebanon police say they arrested 50-year-old Todd Richardson on Thursday morning at the Johnson County Probation Department.
Police say Richardson is a suspect in a rape and burglary case that happened on the northwest side of Lebanon. Following the rape, evidence was submitted, but a suspect was not found.
Police say thanks to DNA evidence and new technology they were able to close the case from 1990.
“It’s proof that the collection of DNA from convicted felons works to help solve crime. Years go by (and) nothing was done because DNA, while it certainly existed back then, it hadn’t advanced to where it is now,” said Boone County Prosecuting Attorney Todd Meyer.
In 2008 police were able to create a DNA profile of the suspect and in October 2015 police got a hit on Richardson after he plead guilty to a 2014 stalking case in Johnson County.
After he pled guilty he was required by state law to submit a DNA sample to the national database known as CODIS or Combined DNA Index System.
“And bingo, we’ve got a match. We’ve got the DNA taken in 1990 that matches a felon just entered in to CODIS,” Meyer said.
Police say the victim didn’t know Richardson.
Richardson was preliminarily charged with attempted rape, criminal deviate conduct, criminal confinement, burglary and intimidation. Police are looking into the possibility that Richardson could be connected to other cases.
