Cold case cracked: DNA ties Missouri man to 24-year-old Tampa sexual assault case

TAMPA, Fla. (CBS12) — After 24 years of unanswered questions, a cold case of sexual assault in Tampa has led to the arrest of a 59-year-old man living in Missouri.

“Our Special Victims Section, with the help of modern technology, has brought closure to a victim who has waited for more than 20 years for answers. We hope this brings comfort and peace to the victim as she continues to heal,”said Sheriff Chad Chronister.

The Hillsborough County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) stated that on March 7, 2000, deputies had responded to a report of a woman getting sexually assaulted after accepting a ride from a stranger.

After an investigation was launched, DNA evidence was collected, and all leads were exhausted, the case reportedly went cold.

HCSO reported that in 2022, their Special Victims Section reopened the case using a DNA Grant and other resources.

The Florida Department of Law Enforcement funded the genetic genealogy testing, resulting in detectives compiling a family tree related to the suspect.

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Officials stated that in August, detectives identified 59-year-old Walter Leon Rutherford Jr. as the possible suspect.

The investigation into Rutherford Jr. revealed that even though he has been living in Missouri since 2007, he had ties to being in Tampa in 2000.

HCSO noted that they had worked with the Stone County Sheriff’s Office in Missouri to obtain a DNA sample from Rutherford Jr.

According to the report, in September, detectives compared Rutherford Jr.’s current DNA sample to the one collected from the crime scene 24 years ago and confirmed they matched.

Rutherford Jr. was taken into custody on October 28 and has been accused of two counts of sexual battery.

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