Matthew J. Nilo, 35, was arrested on May 30, 2023 for four cold case sexual assaults in Boston, Massachusetts.
The assaults took place in the Terminal Street area in the neighbourhood of Charlestown. The four victims were assaulted on August 18, 2007, November 22, 2007, August 5, 2008, and December 23, 2008. A DNA profile of a single suspect was obtained from the victims’ sexual assault kits, and a suspect was announced in 2008. Some of the funding for the investigation was provided by a Sexual Assault Kit Initiative Grant.
There is currently no information on who conducted the FGG investigation. The lead investigating agency was the Boston Police Department, who worked with the New Jersey Police Department and the Boston office of the FBI.
Nilo was arrested at his home in Weehawken, New Jersey. He appeared in court there on June 1, 2023 for an extradition hearing. He has been charged with three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape, and indecent assault.
On June 5, 2023, Nilo pleaded not guilty to the charges in Suffolk County Superior Court. He was ordered held on $500,000 bail.
On June 28, 2023, Nilo was indicted by a grand jury with five sexual assaults against four additional victims to whom Nilo had been tied as a result of DNA. These sexual assaults took place in the North End of Boston while the victims were walking alone in the dark. The fifth victim was assaulted in January of 2007. The sixth victim was assaulted in July of 2007. The seventh victim was assaulted in January of 2008, and again 11 days later. The eighth victim was assaulted in July of 2008. He will be arraigned on the new charges in July of 2023.
Sources:
Associated Press. “DNA Links New Jersey Man to Sexual Assaults which Occurred Over a Decade Ago.” Fox 5 News Washington DC, June 5, 2023. Accessed June 16, 2023. https://www.fox5dc.com/news/dna-links-new-jersey-man-to-sexual-assaults-which-occurred-over-decade-ago#lijp36qntboualb5u.
El-Bawab, Nadine. “Lawyer Arrested in Over Decade-Old Rapes After Being Identified by Genetic Genealogy.” ABC News, May 31, 2023. Accessed June 2, 2023. https://abcnews.go.com/US/lawyer-arrested-decades-rapes-after-identified-genetic-genealogy/story?id=99721132.
Haefeli, Laura. “Matthew Nilo, Lawyer Accused in Boston Rapes, Arrested With Help of Genetic Genealogy.” CBS News, May 31,
2023. https://www.cbsnews.com/boston/news/matthew-nilo-lawyer-arrested-boston-rapes-genetic-genealogy/.
Kalmbacher, Colin. “Corporate Attorney and Alleged Serial Rapist Accused of New Sexual Assaults – Bringing Total to 8 Claimed Victims.” Law & Crime, June 28, 2023. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://lawandcrime.com/crime/corporate-attorney-and-alleged-serial-rapist-accused-of-new-sexual-assaults-bringing-total-to-8-claimed-victims/.
Klein, Asher. “Attorney Arrested in Years-Old Boston Rapes Set for Return to Mass.” NBC 10 Boston, June 1, 2023. Accessed June 2, 2023. https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/attorney-arrested-in-years-old-boston-rapes-set-for-return-to-mass/3058538/.
Patkin, Abby. “Matthew Nilo Case: New Jersey Lawyer Facing New Charges in North End Sexual Assaults.” Boston.com, June 28, 2023. Accessed July 1, 2023. https://www.boston.com/news/crime/2023/06/28/matthew-nilo-nj-lawyer-new-charges-north-end-sexual-assaults/