Sexual Assault Cold Cases Get Renewed Focus In Baltimore County

BALTIMORE COUNTY, MD — Investigators are reexamining sexual assault cold cases in Baltimore County.

Authorities on Tuesday launched a push to reprocess old DNA samples and provide survivor resources. Survivors are encouraged to reach out for updates on their case.

The initiative is for cases from 1977 to 1997 where survivors were treated at Greater Baltimore Medical Center. The Towson hospital preserved DNA samples, which will get new lab analyses.

“We are committed to doing everything possible to bring information, justice and long-awaited closure to sexual assault survivors,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said in a press release. “We encourage those looking for answers to reach out to our expert partner advocates who will guide them through the process, connect them with resources and share next steps.”

In November 2023, Olszewski and Baltimore County Police Department Chief Robert McCullough expedited the testing of cold case sexual assault forensic evidence preserved by GBMC.

Since then, 1,408 cold case slides from the era of focus have been subpoenaed by the Baltimore County Police Department’s Special Victims’ Unit and taken to police headquarters.

Over 1,000 slides have been sent to a lab for DNA testing. All slides will be tested by the end of the year.

This effort is funded with a $1.5 million grant from the Governor’s Office of Crime Prevention, Youth and Victim Services and a grant worth up to $500,000 from the Hackerman Foundation.

Officials said the slides remain viable for DNA testing and that the slides led to a cold case sexual assault arrest last August.

“This initiative speaks to the Baltimore County Police Department’s level of commitment to deliver justice on behalf of all survivors of sexual assault,” Police Chief Robert McCullough said in the release. “You are not alone. I urge all the survivors to contact our partner advocates for support and assistance.”

GBMC's preservation dates back to the 1970s when emergency room physician Dr. Rudiger Breitenecker recognized the importance of evidence from sexual assault survivors. He preserved evidence of more than 2,000 sexual assaults on microscope slides. He continued this practice until the early 1990s.

Breitenecker's efforts prompted the formation of the GBMC Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence (SAFE) program. The county press release called it “one of the most robust and respected programs of its kind in the nation.”

“Dr. Breitenecker was a pioneer and decades ahead of his time when he began to collect and save forensic evidence and many victims of sexual assault have already received a resolution to their case due to his work,” Baltimore County State's Attorney Scott Shellenberger said. “This new process will bring added closure to the victims in these cases.”

Survivors can call the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) at 833-364-0046 or email notification@mcasa.org for more information on this project. They can also opt in or out of receiving information about their sexual assault evidence. The contact center is open Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Survivors will get details on options, next steps and support services. Resources include MCASA's Sexual Assault Legal Institute for discussion of legal options and TurnAround, Inc., Baltimore County's Rape Crisis Center.

“MCASA supports survivors and their rights to know about their DNA evidence and rape kit, whether the evidence was collected in decades ago or yesterday,” MCASA Executive Director Lisae Jordan said. “We are grateful to Dr. Breitenecker for his visionary work and we will work tirelessly to support the survivors he sought to help. Survivors can contact our SAKI project for help with information about legal rights, referrals and the status of their slides.”

An updated resource toolkit is available here.

Additional resources include:

• Baltimore County Police Department Special Victim’s Unit: 410-887-2223
• GBMC SAFE – DV Program provides medical services and victim resources as well as a listing of Sexual Assault Services that are available to victims and survivors of Sexual Assault, Child Abuse and Domestic Violence
• TurnAround, Inc. – Baltimore County’s Certified Rape Crisis Center
• Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault MCASA
• Victim Notification “Opt-In” Portal
• Victim Information Notification Everyday (VINE)

“Our goal is to empower impacted survivors and to ensure their voice is central to this process,” said TurnAround, Inc. Executive Director Amanda Rodriguez. “These survivors took meaningful steps, with hope, that someday justice would be served in their case - and now there is a chance for them to realize that hope. Victim engagement is key. We want to give them back power in a situation where to date they have had none.”