WASHINGTON — Multiple sexual assault cold cases could be closed soon, bringing victims a step closer to healing.
On Wednesday, a grand jury indicted Jose Angel Gomez on numerous counts of first-degree sexual abuse while armed and first-degree sexual abuse with aggravating circumstances for three rape cases dating back to 2018.
The rapes occurred over a four-month span six years ago. In each case, the women did not know Gomez before the attacks.
According to court documents, the first attack happened on July 15, 2018, when at 2:45 a.m., Gomez allegedly knocked on the back door of a home in Northwest. A woman opened the door, at which time Gomez is accused of pulling out a knife and holding it to her face. Gomez then reportedly forced her to the ground and raped her.
The first victim fought back and was able to kick Gomez and run back inside of her home. She was cut in the face, during the fight, but once inside she called the police. The first victim was taken to a hospital and was given a sexual assault examination.
On September 7, 2018, a second victim was raped at knifepoint. Gomez allegedly followed the victim from Ft. Totten metro station just before midnight. Gomez is accused of dragging the woman into a wooded area near the station, where he raped her, and then ran away. The second victim called police and was taken to a hospital where she was given a sexual assault examination.
On October 21, 2018, a woman was waiting for a rideshare at 6:35 a.m. when Gomez reportedly approached and started talking to her. She asked him to leave her alone, but he ignored her request and kept talking. She started walking away, but Gomez is accused of following her, grabbing her by her neck, and dragging her under the porch of a nearby home.
Gomez is charged with raping her under the porch, strangling her harder every time she attempted to move. When the assault was over, police say he ran away. The victim ran home, called the police, and was taken to the hospital. A rape kit was conducted while she was in the hospital.
By December 2018, all three rape kits had been processed and came back as a match to one man. At the time, police didn't have any forensic evidence to tie Gomez back to the crimes.
Detectives with MPD's Sexual Assault continued investigating the case until they were able to positively connect Gomez to the crimes. It is unknown how police were able to connect Gomez to the crimes. But on June 7, 2023, Gomez was arrested in Kentucky and extradited back to Washington D.C. A secondary DNA test was conducted and reportedly confirmed that Gomez was the suspect in all three 2018 cases.
Gomez's trial is scheduled to begin on September 17. If found guilty Gomez faces a maximum penalty of life without release.
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