Cold case solved after 11 years

A cold case in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques region has concluded after more than eleven years, with a man arrested for the rape of a 93-year-old woman in Biarritz in 2015. The suspect had introduced himself as a nurse from her usual home care organization, gaining access to her home without breaking in.

Perpetrator's knowledge of the victim's home

According to the Bayonne prosecutor's office, the perpetrator appeared to know the victim's location, how to access her home, and how to disable the alert system. However, the victim was unable to identify the perpetrator, and the DNA sample collected at the time did not allow for an immediate identification.

Fingerprint match after 11 years

The suspect’s fingerprint, entered into the National Automated Fingerprint Database (FNAEG), eventually matched eleven years later. The individual was arrested on Tuesday and placed under investigation for the rape of a vulnerable person. He admitted to the acts while minimizing them and stated that he had suffered from sexual impulses since childhood.

New genealogical investigation leads to suspect

After an initial familial search in 2016 proved fruitless, new genealogical investigations conducted by the National Scientific Police Service identified four individuals with genetic profiles close to the one being sought, including the father of the accused. The suspect was undergoing a nursing internship with the organization that had provided care to the victim at the time of the incident.

Focus shifts to possible other victims

The judicial investigation now must focus on establishing whether there are other victims, as concluded by the prosecutor, Mariel Garrigos, in a statement.