After eluding police for nearly two decades, a construction worker in Washington has been arrested and charged in connection with a series of home invasions and rapes.
Kenneth Downing, 47, was arrested Thursday at a construction site where he was working in Spokane.
According to the Pullman Police Department, Downing's DNA matched evidence collected at multiple crime scenes.
"This cold case arrest was made possible through DNA matches, using evidence collected at the time that the crimes occurred," police said in a statement. "After 18 years, collaborative efforts on behalf of multiple entities... will help to bring long overdue justice to the survivors of these assaults."
Downing is accused of breaking into homes and raping women in the early 2000's.
The first incident happened in November 2003. Prosecutors say Downing broke into a woman's home while she was sleeping and when she woke up, he had a gun in her face, KREM reported. Months later, in March 2004, Downing allegedly broke into the apartment of two women, according to the station. Armed with a gun, he reportedly tied up one of the roommates and assaulted the other.
Investigators gathered DNA from both crime scenes but didn't get a match for 18 years. Downing was finally tied to the case after one of his relatives sent a DNA sample to a genealogy database to learn more about their family tree, CBS News reported.
"Those profiles led to a link between Kenneth Downing and the DNA evidence collected in the 2003/2004 cases," police said.
Downing faces four counts of first-degree rape, three counts of second-degree assault, three counts of unlawful imprisonment, two counts of first-degree burglary and one count of indecent liberties, the Spokesman Review reported.
Downing remains in custody on a $5 million bond.
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