Police Make Arrest In Rape Of 13-Year-Old Girl
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- The brutal rape of a 13-year-old girl leads to the arrest of a 61-year-old man in Baltimore City.
Alex DeMetrick explains how science helped police track down their suspect.
Police took a hard line on the suspect they arrested.
"There's no other way to describe this individual other than an utter animal. Sixty-one-year-old Alvin Wright was arrested by Baltimore police sex offense and child abuse detectives," said Anthony Guglielmi, Baltimore City Police spokesperson.
"Oh, thank you, Jesus. Thank you, Jesus. Oh, I'm so happy," said neighbor Frances Bailey.
That relief in the 800-block of North Caroline Street follows the shock of what happened in an abandoned rowhouse five weeks ago when a 13-year-old girl was grabbed and forced inside.
"She fell through the first floor into the basement. Our suspect then came in and viciously attacked and sexually assaulted her," Guglielmi said.
The strongest lead came from DNA samples left by the man on his young victim. Because of the nature of the attack, the police DNA lab put the case on a fast track.
"This case was prioritized. It was put to the front of the queue," said Dep. Maj. Martin Bartness.
Police say the suspect does not have a history of violent crime but has been arrested in the past on drug charges. That's what put his DNA into the system.
"From the evidence we recovered from the forensic medical examination, we put that into the database. The two matched up and that's how we found Mr. Wright," Bartness said.
Wright was arrested 24 hours after the lab made the match. While a trial will determine his guilt or innocence, those on North Caroline Street are already convinced.
"I don't feel no sympathy for him or anyone who would do something like this or think about doing something like that," said neighbor Arthur Sharp.
Wright faces charges of rape, kidnapping and assault. He has been ordered to be held without bond.
