Cold case kidnapping, rape in Danbury, CT finally solved

After a kidnapping and rape went unsolved successful Danbury, Conn., for much than 3 decades, cops yet made an apprehension successful the case connected Tuesday.

David Coffey, 53, was detained and charged with abducting and raping a pistillate successful 1989, constabulary said. Investigators judge Coffey whitethorn beryllium connected to a bid of kidnappings and intersexual assaults crossed a Danbury vicinity astatine the time.

“In the precocious 1980s, successful the country of Lake Avenue/Merrimac Street, Danbury constabulary detectives investigated a bid of incidents that alarmed the neighborhood, including the abduction and rape of pistillate residents,” Danbury constabulary wrote Wednesday successful a property release. “Despite the diligent efforts of the investigators astatine the time, the cases went cold.”

But successful November 2023, a pistillate approached Danbury cops and identified herself arsenic a unfortunate of the 1980s transgression spree, cops said. Her communicative matched a constabulary study from the time, and officers reopened the case.

Investigators reinterviewed radical related to the case astatine the clip and utilized “resources that were not disposable successful the precocious 1980s,” Danbury constabulary said.

Cops worked with the Danbury State’s Attorney and the authorities forensic laboratory to identify Coffey arsenic a suspect. He was arrested Tuesday and charged with first-degree kidnapping, constabulary said. His bail was acceptable astatine $750,000.

Police did not accidental precisely what grounds led to Coffey’s apprehension beyond noting that he lived successful the country astatine the clip of the crimes.

Authorities besides asked anyone with accusation astir Coffey and/or the bid of kidnappings and rapes successful the 1980s to interaction them. Danbury constabulary said “these incidents are inactive being actively investigated, and different arrests are pending.”