Stoney Brown has been identified as the lead suspect in a series of four violent home invasion rapes that took place in Cincinnati in 1995 and 1996. The attacks took place near the University of Cincinnati campus. Three of the victims were students there. Brown lived just blocks away at the time of the rapes.
These cases were linked through DNA taken from the victims’ sexual assault kits. A ‘John Doe Warrant’ was obtained in 2008 to prevent the statute of limitations from running out. There is no information on who conducted the FIGG investigation. The initial confirmation was made by the surreptitious sampling of items Brown had discarded in his trash. Investigators also used Y-STR DNA in this case to narrow down the list of suspects by tracing Brown’s male lineage.
The FIGG investigation was conducted by Barbara Rae-Venter and Stephen Kramer.
On October 4, 2021, Brown pled guilty in Hamilton County court, and was sentenced to 23 years in prison.
Sources:
Grasha, Kevin. “Prosecutor: Rapes of UC Students in 1990s ‘Planned and Calculated.’ Man Wore Mask, Gloves.” Cincinnati Enquirer, June 23, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2020/06/23/rapes-university-cincinnati-students-planned-and-calculated-stoney-brown/3242982001/.
Grasha, Kevin. “Victim of Serial Rapist Who targeted UC Students Will ‘Live in Fear’ of His Possible Release from Prison.” Cincinnati.com, October 5, 2021. Accessed December 29, 2021. https://www.cincinnati.com/story/news/2021/10/05/stoney-brown-serial-rapist-who-targeted-uc-students-pleads-guilty/6006159001/.
Johnson, Karin. “Prosecutor: Ancestry Database Ties Retired City Worker to Rapes of UC Students.” WLWT 5 NBC News, May 19, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://www.wlwt.com/article/prosecutor-ancestry-database-ties-retired-city-worker-to-rapes-of-uc-students/32603431?utm_campaign=snd-autopilot&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter_WLWT#.
Lair, Mollie. “Cincinnati Police Make Arrest in 25-Year-Old Rape Case.” WLWT 5 News, May 17, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://www.wlwt.com/article/cincinnati-police-make-arrest-in-25-year-old-rape-case/32531549.
Rae-Venter, Barbara. Personal Communication. January 3, 2024.
Swilley, Kristen. “DNA Genealogy Test Led Police to Arrest in Decades-Old Cold Case.” WCPO News Cincinnati, May 19, 2020, last modified May 20, 2020. Accessed December 11, 2020. https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/hamilton-county/cincinnati/dna-genealogy-test-led-police-to-arrest-in-decades-old-cold-case.