NEED TO KNOW
- DNA evidence linked a man to multiple unsolved sexual assaults in Arizona that date back to 1994, police say
- Authorities indicted 55-year-old Abraham Ramirez on multiple counts
- “Even decades later, testing these kits can uncover the truth and give survivors their voices back,” the Ventura County District Attorney said
DNA evidence linked a man to multiple decades-old unsolved sexual assault cases, Arizona police said.
Abraham Ramirez, 55, was indicted in Maricopa County Superior Court on 11 counts of sexual assault and kidnapping, the Ventura County District Attorney’s Office and the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office said in a Monday, Sept. 8 press release.
Forensic work conducted as part of the Ventura County Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (VCSAKI) connected Ramirez to the unsolved cases.
The earliest unsolved case was in 1994, when deputies with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department responded to a report of a woman who escaped from Ramirez after she was sexually assaulted. Although a sexual assault kit was collected, the case was dismissed due to insufficient evidence, police said.
However, advances in technology helped authorities not only link Ramirez to the 1994 case but also indict him on four previously unsolved sexual assault cases in the Phoenix area. The first two other unsolved cases happened in 1998 and 1999, per court documents obtained by AZ Family. Ramirez was also linked to two unsolved cases from 2013.
The 1994 victim’s kit was tested under the VCSAKI and Ramirez’s DNA profile was uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) by the Ventura County Sheriff’s crime lab. Police said there was a match to the 1994 case and the other unsolved cases. Maricopa County prosecutors then filed charges related to the other cases.
“This case proves that no matter how much time has passed, we will use every tool available to pursue justice and stand with survivors,” Ventura County Sheriff Jim Fryhoff said in a statement. “It is a powerful example of why we remain committed to testing every sexual assault kit in Ventura County.”
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Ventura County District Attorney Erik Nasarenko stressed the importance of using forensics to solve cases no matter how much time may pass.
“This outcome underscores the power of DNA testing and the critical role of our crime lab in bringing long-delayed justice,” he said. “Even decades later, testing these kits can uncover the truth and give survivors their voices back.”
VCSAKI launched countywide in 2022 and aims to test every sexual assault kit for the presence of DNA to investigate unsolved cases.
Ramirez was indicted by a Maricopa County grand jury in August, NBC News reported Tuesday, Sept. 9, citing court records.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go to rainn.org.
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