By Kyra O’Connor, Gabriella Bachara | 12 News
The Chandler Police Department is asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect in a sexual assault from more than 30 years ago.
The police department posted a sketch of the suspect on social media. The police said the victim was at Apache Park when the suspect allegedly sexually and physically assaulted the victim. The assaults took place in October of 1991 in the afternoon.
The suspect is described as being an unknown man who, at the time of the assaults, was 18-25 years old — he would likely be in his late 40s or 50s now — who was approximately 5′ 10″ with short, spiky hair, light-colored eyes and glasses.
A Valley-based attorney told 12News cases this old aren’t unusual.
“It does happen a lot. More than you would think,” Kaine Fisher, a senior partner at Rose Law Group, said.
The Arizona Legislature states that sexual assault, which is a class 2 felony, carries a time limitation of seven years.
But in Arizona, the time limitation does not start until an indictment, information or complaint is filed. The period of limitation also does not run when the identity of the person who commits the offense or offenses is unknown.
Police couldn’t say if investigators have DNA evidence in this case.
Without DNA evidence, Fisher said the credibility of the victim and any witnesses would be paramount in getting a conviction in court.
“After 30 years, that person’s memory is not going to be nearly as sharp as it was when the crime occurred and that could be problematic,” Fisher said. “A defense attorney would have a field day with that poking some holes in the credibility of the victim.”
Credit: Chandler Police Department
