DNA reveals suspect in 2002 rape

Published 9:00 pm Thursday, March 4, 2004

EVERETT — Police detectives believe they have solved a 2002 rape case with genetic evidence, and are looking into other attacks in Snohomish County.

Prosecutors Thursday charged Thomas James Brown, 33, formerly of Oak Harbor, with second-degree rape in an Oct. 21, 2002, attack on a woman who was hitchhiking on Highway 529 between Marysville and Everett.

Bail in Snohomish County Superior Court was set at $1 million, deputy prosecutor Craig Matheson said. Brown is scheduled to be arraigned March. 17.

Brown is serving an 18-month prison term after pleading guilty in Whatcom County to third-degree rape. He picked up a hitchhiker in Snohomish County on Aug. 1, 2003, and drove her to Blaine before attacking her, documents say.

In the 2002case, the woman who was attacked accepted a ride from a man wearing a red or orange shirt with stripes, such as the ones construction site flaggers use, Matheson said. She described his car as a red, five-speed hatchback with a dark vinyl or leather interior, which she said was "very clean," Matheson said.

She told him she was going to 41st Street in Everett and accepted a ride.

The driver said he needed to pull over because of car problems and drove onto a side road leading to Dagmar’s Marina on Smith Island, Matheson said. Instead of fixing the car, he allegedly attacked her and tied her hands with her rope belt.

After assaulting her, he pushed her out of his car and drove off without closing the passenger door, Matheson said.

The woman walked to Everett, called police and gave a description of the attacker. Swabs were taken for DNA typing, Matheson said.

The DNA samples were sent to the Washington State Patrol crime lab, but officials were unable to match it. The samples later were compared with a national databank, and last month Brown was linked to the 2002 rape, Matheson said.

The assault occurred six months after Brown was released from a California prison, where he spent 10 years for kidnapping and willful child cruelty, Matheson said. The deputy prosecutor said he is seeking conviction records to learn more about that crime.

Brown is scheduled to be released in May, prompting the high bail request, Matheson said.

Detective Jon Jensen recently visited Brown at the minimum- security Olympic Corrections Center south of Forks on the Olympic Peninsula. Matheson said the defendant denied having sex with anyone in his car between Marysville and Everett.

Brown also was a suspect in another attack that happened a week after the woman was assaulted near Highway 529.

Snohomish County deputies arrested Brown for a south Everett attempted rape on Oct. 28, 2002. The charge was dismissed when the victim could not be located for trial.

Brown had been driving a red Plymouth Colt hatchback with a clean, dark interior, Matheson said. Also, Brown had been working a job that required him to wear orange reflective clothing, Matheson added.

Police said anyone with information about Brown’s activities or the attacks to call the Everett police tip line at 425-257-8450.

Reporter Jim Haley: 425-339-3447 or haley@heraldnet.com.