The Columbus Police Department has made a significant break in a 28-year-old rape case, connecting the late Sean McNulty to the 1997 assault along with several other sexual assault cases that span across various states. As reported by NBC4i, McNulty, a California native who died in 1997, has been confirmed through DNA analysis as the perpetrator in this longstanding unsolved case, bringing a semblance of closure to the victims involved.
Utilizing the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), investigators managed to compile a string of unsolved cases, only to find Sean McNulty tied intricately in the midst. Despite his DNA being tested in 2005 with no initial leads, additional case connections in Arizona, California, Florida, Indiana, Michigan, and Ohio led to the conclusive match – a painstaking process spanning decades. Unfortunately, "I am grateful that our Division’s hard work and tenacity over the years has brought closure to the victim in this violent case," Columbus Police Chief Elaine Bryant told ABC6 in a statement that reflects on the collective effort taken to resolve this mystery.
Columbus police revealed that McNulty's criminal activities were widespread, with his service in the Navy allowing him to spend time in multiple states, thereby creating a series of crimes that only now are being fully recognized and linked together. According to The Columbus Dispatch, these connections were made through DNA profiling coupled with exhaustive genealogical and criminal analysis.
This complex case presented unique challenges as McNulty had been cremated, with his remains' whereabouts uncertain, complicating the collection of DNA evidence. However, a sample from an Indiana case where McNulty had already been named a suspect allowed for the critical match to the 1997 Columbus rape. Reflecting on this milestone, Chief Bryant praised the perseverance of the investigative team, saying, "None of this could have been done without the efforts of our Case Review Unit, genealogist, and our partners in Ventura County and across the country," credited to ABC6's detailed reporting.
For the victims of these heinous crimes, such as the woman in the Columbus case, this revelation marks an end to years of unresolved turmoil. Upon receiving notice of McNulty's posthumous identification, she expressed a profound sense of relief. Columbus police have urged anyone with further information to contact them, hopeful that this breakthrough might lead to more answers in the remaining shadows of McNulty's past. Those with any additional information are encouraged to call Columbus police at 614-645-4036.
