Maryland police arrest California man after DNA links him to 31-year-old cold case rape

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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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Xavier Battice booking photos. Police said Battice was linked to a rape 31 years after it happened thanks to advancements in DNA technology.  (Montgomery County Police Department)

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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Pipette placing sample into vial for extracting DNA evidence in forensic lab. (Andrew Brookes via Getty Images)

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.