Edward Duran, 63, was charged on December 21, 2021, in connection with a July 7, 1997, home invasion rape in Albuquerque, New Mexico. An intruder broke into the victim’s apartment, sexually assaulted her at knifepoint, and then made her take a shower. The victim went to the hospital and had a sexual assault kit taken. The SAK was not tested until February of 2020.
A total of seven other rape cases were linked to the same suspect through sexual assault kits taken from the victims at the time of the rapes. This information was uncovered during a recent effort to clear the backlog in untested sexual assault kits funded by the federal government in 2016. Duran is currently charged with the 1997 home invasion rape; the remaining 7 cases are still under investigation, and charges are expected. The assaults took place in July 1990, August 1992, October 1992, January 1993, July 1993, October 1993, January 1994, and 1997.
The FGG investigation, as well as the laboratory work, was conducted by Bode Laboratories. The initial confirmation was made through police surveillance, followed by the surreptitious sampling of a fork he had used at a sushi restaurant in Albuquerque.
Duran was convicted of sexual assault in 1979 and again in 1991 (for a rape that took place in 1989) for which he was given a sentence of 6 months each. Six of the sexual assaults with which he is now being investigated took place while he was on probation (which expired on September 15, 1994) for the 1989 rape conviction; one took place while the case was pending before the courts. He had no subsequent convictions that would have led to his DNA being in the CODIS database. He was arrested in 1995 for battering a household member, but this crime is not considered serious enough to require a DNA sample.
The original complaint in the 1997 rape case states that the victim reported to police that, “He was not nervous once he had literally beaten me into submission; contrary, he was assured, commanding, and knew every step. He was very smooth, and knew exactly what he would do next.”
An arraignment hearing was held on January 3, 2022, and a pre-trial conference is scheduled for February 21, 2023.
Sources:
Frendak, Giuli. “Albuquerque Man Arrested in Connection to 1997 Cold Case.” KOB 4 News, December 21, 2021. Accessed December 23, 2021. https://www.kob.com/albuquerque-news/albuquerque-man-arrested-in-connection-to-1997-cold-case/6338996/.
Laflin, Nancy. “DA: Person Searching for Family History Leads them to Arrest in Cold Case Rape.” KOAT Action News 7, December 22, 2021. Accessed December 23, 2021. https://www.koat.com/article/da-person-searching-family-history-leads-them-to-arrest-in-cold-case-rape/38584989#.
Kaplan, Elsie. “Suspected Serial Rapist Charged in 1997 Case.” Albuquerque Journal, December 21, 2021. Accessed December 23, 2021. https://www.abqjournal.com/2456030/das-office-announces-arrest-in-1997-cold-case-rape.html.
McKee, Chris, and Stephanie Chavez. “Albuquerque Man Arrested in Connection with 1997 Rape Cold Case.” KRQE, December 21, 2021. Last modified December 22, 2021. Accessed December 23, 2021. https://www.krqe.com/news/albuquerque-metro/bernalillo-county-da-to-announce-break-in-1997-rape-cold-case/.
State of New Mexico v. Edward Gilbert Duran. “Register of Actions Activity: Case Number D-202-CR-202102546.” State of New Mexico Courts. Accessed January 14, 2023. https://caselookup.nmcourts.gov/caselookup/app?component=cnLink&page=SearchResults&service=direct&session=T&sp=SD-202-CR-202102546.