A long-standing sexual assault case from 2009, which had gone cold, has seen a development with the arrest of a Cottonwood man. Steven Paul Lipton, 43, is accused of abducting and assaulting an eight-year-old girl in Peoria as FOX 10 Phoenix reports, breakthrough DNA evidence has led to Lipton's capture.
On January 12, 2009, Lipton allegedly deceived the young girl into believing he was a police officer and a friend of her mother, convincing her that it was safe to get in his car, after which he committed the assault. Despite collecting DNA at the time, no match was found, and the case went cold in October 2011. But in a twist that underscores the enduring quest for justice, the Maricopa County Attorney's Office (MCAO) utilized grant money for testing old sexual assault evidence, allowing new life to be breathed into the investigation.
Recently, the Department of Public Safety Laboratory identified Lipton's DNA as a match in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). This crucial development was made possible by grant funds that are part of the MCAO's Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), as detailed by KTAR News. Lipton, who had just finished his probation for unrelated felony crimes, was taken into custody at the probation office without incident.
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell highlighted the importance of the SAKI funds, stating, "SAKI funds have been critical in pursuing justice for victims of cold case sex assault." Lipton's arrest speaks not just to the resilience of law enforcement but to the potential for closure and, indeed, the hope of justice for those who have waited in the long shadows of unresolved crimes.
As the victim, now 24 years old, grapples with revelations from a haunted past, authorities suggest that there may be more victims. Peoria Police officials are urging anyone with potentially relevant information or who may have been victimized under similar circumstances to reach out. "This is huge," said Det. Stehli in the case's context, as reported by FOX 10 Phoenix. "She's been waiting 16 years for some answers, and hopefully we provided those answers, and can get her the justice she deserves."
Meanwhile, a judge has set a $200,000 cash-only bond for Lipton, with charges including sexual conduct with a minor, child molestation, impersonation of a peace officer, sexual assault, and kidnapping. It's a stark reminder of the length of time justice can sometimes take, and the harrowing journey survivors must endure.
