Montgomery County, Maryland, police arrested a California man Tuesday in connection to a 31-year-old cold case.
Xavier Battice, 62, was arrested and charged for a 1992 rape in Chevy Chase, Maryland.
DNA evidence from the crime scene was submitted to the Combined DNA Index System by cold case detectives, which came back as a match to Battice, according to a news release from police.
After detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Battice, they contacted the Morgan Hill Police Department in California, where he was residing. Battice was arrested by Morgan Hill police and later extradited to Montgomery County Central Processing in Maryland on Friday, Dec. 15.
Battice was charged with two counts of second-degree rape and one count of second-degree sex assault and is being held without bond.
According to police, on Sept. 24, 1992, a female exited a bus near the 5400 block of Wisconsin Avenue in Chevy Chase when a suspect, who police have identified as Battice, followed her before he forced her into a nearby park and raped her. He then fled the scene.
WTOP does not identify survivors of sexual assault unless they publicly identify themselves.
Detectives are “concerned” that Battice may have sexually assaulted others who haven’t come forward or contacted the police.
Police have asked anyone with information regarding this crime or who also may have been assaulted to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County website or call 1-866-411-8477.
