Real Crime Stories/Paranormal Hauntings/Conspiracy Theories Book II

The East Coast Rapist

The East Coast Rapist is acriminal who has committed a number of rapes in Maryland, Virginia,Connecticut and Rhode Island since 1997. Police had DNA evidence fromthe first attacks, but had not matched the DNA in any criminaldatabase. On March 4, 2011, police in Connecticut arrested39-year-old trucker and New Haven resident Aaron H. Thomas afterclaiming to have matched his DNA to that of the rapist from acigarette butt he discarded. Thomas underwent police questioning. OnMarch 5, 2011, jailers reported that Thomas attempted to hang himselfwhile in a jail cell.

The rapist's modus operandi was totrail the women he selected as victims to learn about their personallives and then attack them under cover of night. He usuallyapproached the victim in an open area, talked to her briefly, andthen forced her into a more secluded area to rape her. He usedhandguns, knives, a screwdriver, and a broken bottle as weaponsduring the attacks. On four occasions, he attacked more than onevictim in the same incident.

On March 1, 2013, Thomas was sentencedto three life terms in prison plus an additional 80 years for hisHalloween 2009 attack on three teenaged trick-or-treaters in PrinceWilliam County, Virginia, having pleaded guilty to said attack inNovember 2012. Later in March 2013, Thomas was sentenced to twoadditional life terms for a May 2001 rape and abduction at a Leesburgapartment complex, having pleaded guilty to said attack in November2012. Later in March 2013, Thomas was indicted on six counts offirst-degree rape and multiple related charges in Prince George'sCounty, Maryland and, as of March 26, 2013, faced a total of 54charges in said county.

In June 2015, Thomas pleaded guilty tothree rapes that took place in Prince George's County, Maryland,between 1997 and 2001 and received three more life terms that are tobe served concurrently with time being served in Virginia. Prosecutors also dropped charges against Thomas in three casesbecause of a lack of evidence.