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DNA collected from a 1994 sexual assault in California has linked a man to four cold cases in Arizona, investigators announced this week. Maricopa police confirmed that 54-year-old Abraham M. Ramirez was recently taken into custody in connection with the crimes uncovered by the DNA database system.

California Assault Leads to Breakthrough

According to the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office, Ramirez was first identified in a 1994 sexual assault case in California, in which the victim managed to escape. While a sexual assault kit was collected, prosecutors dismissed the case due to insufficient evidence.

At the time, DNA was a relatively and there were no clear guidelines on how to process or submit evidence into a national system. That evidence was preserved, and when it was recently re-tested and entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), it matched samples from four unsolved sexual assaults in Phoenix between 1998 and 2013.

Timeline of the Arizona Cold Cases

Court documents reveal that Ramirez is accused of committing four kidnappings and sexual assaults in Arizona spanning over a decade:

• July 7, 1998: A 17-year-old girl reported being offered a ride home by the suspect. Instead, she was punched, abducted, and sexually assaulted near 17th Avenue and Flower Street in Phoenix.

• Jan. 30, 1999: An 18-year-old woman in Avondale said the suspect forced her into his car, assaulted her at gunpoint, and left her in another location.

• April 22, 2013: A 17-year-old girl accepted a ride from the suspect. She told police he punched her and sexually assaulted her near 63rd Avenue and Elwood Street.

• May 6, 2013: A 20-year-old woman reported that she was attacked after accepting a ride outside a Circle K in Phoenix.

Officials Praise the Role of DNA

Law enforcement officials credited forensic science and persistence in solving these decades-old crimes.

“This arrest demonstrates the excellent work of our combined investigative and forensic teams and their unwavering commitment to those who experience sexual assault trauma,” said Donna Rossi, director of communications for the Phoenix Police Department.

“The national DNA database is a really powerful tool,” added Jennifer Palmer, a forensic scientist with the City of Phoenix. “All it took was another jurisdiction to put in one of their cases, and theirs happened to have a suspect.”

Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff emphasized the long-term pursuit of justice:

"This case proves that no matter how much time has passed, we will use every tool available to pursue justice and stand with survivors."

Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko echoed that sentiment:

"This outcome underscores the power of DNA testing and the critical role of our crime lab in bringing long-delayed justice, even decades later, testing these kits can uncover the truthe and give survivors their voices back.