Maryland law enforcement officials arrested a California man after advancements in DNA allegedly linked him to a cold case rape that happened 31 years ago in Montgomery County.
The Montgomery County Police Department said on Tuesday that 62-year-old Xavier Battice was arrested by the department’s major crimes cold case unit and charged with rape.
An investigation found that on Sept. 24, 1992, the female victim exited a bus near Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
The suspect, later identified as Battice, allegedly followed the woman to a nearby park where he raped her and left the scene.
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Evidence obtained from the crime scene was sent to the crime laboratory by Cold Case detectives, resulting in the creation of a DNA profile.
The DNA was then submitted to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) and matched to Battice.
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Detectives obtained an arrest warrant for the suspect, charging him with two counts of second-degree rape and a single count of second-degree sex assault.
Montgomery County detectives contacted the Morgan Hill Police Department in California after learning Battice was living there.
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The local police department arrested Battice and held him until Friday, when he was transported back to Montgomery County, Maryland and processed.
Battice was held without bond.
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Detectives said they are concerned there could be more victims, and encourage anyone with information about the crime or who may be a victim to contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County at www.crimesolversmcmd.org or call 866-411-8477.
