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Sexual Assault Suspect Arrested via Genetic Genealogy

Published

3 months ago

September 5, 2023

darryl

In a recent development, a man accused of sexual assault in California dating back to 2010 has been apprehended by the New York Police Department (NYPD) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). The arrest of Kabeh Cummings, aged 35, took place in New York City on August 29th, resulting in 11 felony charges, including kidnapping, rape, and sodomy, as confirmed by a news release from the Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office.

If convicted, Cummings could potentially face an extensive prison sentence exceeding 180 years, according to Sacramento County District Attorney Thien Ho, who briefed reporters on the matter.

It remains unclear whether Cummings has legal representation at this point.

Cummings stands accused of sexually assaulting two women in Sacramento in February and March of 2010, as well as a third woman in September 2013. Authorities revealed during a press conference that these assaults followed a disturbingly similar pattern.

In the 2010 incidents, Cummings is alleged to have assaulted both women by attacking them from behind, placing them in headlocks, and strangling them before committing sexual assault, according to Sacramento Police Chief Kathy Lester. Afterward, he fled the crime scenes, and the victims promptly reported the assaults to the police.

In one of the 2010 assaults, an unidentified second suspect made off with the victim’s purse, as disclosed by Chief Lester. In another incident from March 2010, the victim was rendered unconscious during the sexual assault, adding to the severity of the situation.

Cummings faces an additional accusation of a violent sexual assault on another woman in the Sacramento area in September 2013. Assistant Sheriff LeeAnneDra Marchese of the Sacramento County Sheriff’s Office described this incident, stating that Cummings allegedly attacked the victim from behind around 4:15 a.m., brandishing a stun gun and threatening her life.

In the aftermath of these assaults, rape kits were assembled, and DNA samples were entered into CODIS, a national database employed for identifying crime suspects, according to Chief Lester.

Investigators have urged the public to step forward if they possess any information related to additional victims in this case.

The 2013 case had gone cold until November 2021, when a sheriff’s detective reopened the investigation into cold case sexual assaults, requesting further evidence testing, as explained by Marchese. This subsequent testing resulted in the development of a complete DNA profile by June 2022, linking the 2013 and 2010 cases, as reported by Marchese.

The DNA profile subsequently enabled investigators to identify Cummings as the suspect, despite his residence in New York City at the time of his apprehension, despite having lived in Sacramento during the time of the alleged rapes, according to Marchese.

Although authorities employed genetic genealogy techniques to pinpoint Cummings as the suspect, specific investigative details have not been disclosed due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, as mentioned by Ho.

Genetic genealogy, a somewhat controversial technology, combines genealogical research with DNA analysis to construct family trees and identify relationships, including potential links to criminal suspects. This technique has played a pivotal role in solving numerous high-profile cold cases in recent years.

Notably, authorities have refrained from discussing Cummings’ reasons for traveling to New York or whether he is suspected of committing sexual assaults in other states, citing the ongoing investigation.

Kabeh Cummings had been employed by the city of Sacramento, according to Chief Lester, although further details regarding his employment were not readily available.

The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office declined to provide additional information regarding the evidence that led to Cummings’ identification when asked for further details. Similarly, the NYPD deferred inquiries about their involvement in the case to the Sacramento Police Department, which directed further questions to the DA’s office.

Cummings has been extradited to Sacramento and is currently incarcerated at the Sacramento County Main Jail, as confirmed by online jail records. He is being held on a $3.5 million bail and is scheduled for arraignment in Sacramento Superior Court on Wednesday afternoon, as per online jail records and the DA’s office.

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For individuals who have been victims of sexual assault or who know someone affected, support is available through the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 1-800-656-4673. The hotline, managed by the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), can connect individuals with local rape crisis centers. Additionally, RAINN offers a confidential online chat service in both English and Spanish, accessible at https://www.rainn.org/get-help.