Police in Arlington, Virginia, said on Wednesday that they’ve made an arrest in a series of rapes and attempted rapes that were committed in 1991.
Michael F. Thomson, 63, of Montross, Virginia, was arrested Tuesday after DNA information related to genetic genealogy linked him to four attacks on women near the East Falls Church Metro station in January, February and March 1991, the Arlington County police said in a statement Wednesday.
The police said the Cold Case Unit looked at the series of attacks anew in 2017. There was DNA evidence in three of them, and a fourth was deemed related because of the similarity of the attacker’s method.
Investigators used phenotyping and genetic genealogy to link the Northern Neck man to the crimes, the police said.
Thomson has been charged with two counts each of rape, abduction with the intent to defile, forcible sodomy and use or display of a firearm during the commission of a felony.
He’s being held without bond; the police said they anticipate filing more charges.
They’re asking anyone with any more information about the cases to call them at 703-228-4702 or email the detective in charge of the case at Rortiz@arlingtonva.us. You can email ACPDTipline@arlingtonva.us or call the Arlington County Crime Solvers hotline anonymously at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
