Chicago Man Sentenced To 40 years After DNA Found In Untested Rape Kit
(STMW) -- A 36-year-old Chicago man, who was charged with sexual assault after dozens of rape kits were discovered at a south suburban police station, was sentenced to 40 years in prison Thursday.
Steven Murphy sexually assaulted a woman who was on her way to buy milk for her children on Oct. 14, 2002, according to a statement from the Cook County State's Attorney's office.
After the attack, the victim reported the incident and gave her clothing to Harvey police, but the rape kit sat untested for about five years, the statement said. A 2007 raid of the Harvey Police Department uncovered dozens of such untested rape kits.
Murphy struck the woman over the head and dragged her by the hair to a nearby alley, prosecutors said. He then sexually assaulted her while continually hitting her.
Investigators made the connection to Murphy after he was convicted of an unrelated burglary charge in 2007, officials said. As a result, his DNA was entered into a statewide database, where it was later matched to the offender in the 2002 attack, prosecutors said.
Murphy is one of 15 people who have been charged or convicted as a result of the discovery of the untested rape kits, according to the statement.
He was previously convicted by a jury and was sentenced on Thursday by Judge Michelle Pitman.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2014. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)