DNA links Teen to St. Paul Rape
Police arrested a 16-year-old boy Thursday evening in connection with a New Year's Day rape that happened in St. Paul's Payne-Phalen neighborhood. Police said today that the boy voluntarily gave authorities a DNA sample that matched evidence found at the crime scene.
The Pioneer Press reported today that Sgt. Michael Polzin said the boy was arrested in Racine Wisc. after he called Racine police Thursday afternoon and reported that his grandfather assaulted him. After talking with the boy, Racine officers found out he was a runaway from St. Paul. They called St. Paul police who told them the teen was wanted in connection with a St. Paul crime.
According to a search warrant affidavit, a 57-year-old victim was approached by her attacker near the intersection of Payne and Lawson Aves. on Jan. 1, 2007.
The Star Tribune printed a similar story about the boy's connection to the January 1 rape. They didn't print any of the same information as the Pioneer Press about how the boy was found and arrested. They did, however, give a detailed account of the rape that happened two months ago.
Both stories mentioned the attack and rape of a 13-year-old girl that happened in St. Paul on January 8 while the girl was on her way to a school bus stop. The Pioneer Press stated that police are still searching for a suspect in that assault, but that DNA evidence doesn't link it to the January 1 rape.