Forensic evidence could nab Nanaimo sex assault suspect

Mounties hope to narrow their list of suspects in the sexual assault of a Nanaimo woman.

Mounties hope to narrow their list of suspects in the sexual assault of a Nanaimo woman.

The attack happened early May 14 at a home on Kanaka Place. The victim, 21, was online with friends in Arizona when a man smashed through her bedroom window, sexually assaulted her and fled. Her friends in Arizona alerted Nanaimo RCMP of the attack.

Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman, said analysis of DNA evidence collected at the scene will likely narrow the RCMP’s list of suspects.

“The way DNA works is it comes back as a known DNA or an unknown DNA and, hopefully, if it’s known DNA, it matches the shortlist of suspects involved,” O’Brien said. “DNA could be anything. It could be hair. It could be body fluids, anything, but we’re not going to say what that is.”

Anyone with information is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.nanaimocrimestoppers.com.

Nanaimo News Bulletin