Police recently arrested a man suspected of being the Charlottesville serial rapist after DNA evidence linked him to two area crimes. Nathan Antonio Washington, 40, was arrested Aug. 13 at about 1 a.m. at his Abbington Crossing apartment in Albemarle County, according to Charlottesville Police Chief Timothy Longo. Washington is genetically linked to two crimes which were suspected to be the work of a rapist who assaulted seven victims in and around Charlottesville in the past 10 years. DNA evidence linked Washington to incidents that occurred in 2002 and 2004, according to Longo. He added, however, that he could not comment on the circumstances leading to Washington's arrest. Washington is charged with six offenses in connection with the 2002 attack in Charlottesville. The charges include forcible rape and robbery, according to a statement from Charlottesville Commonwealth's Attorney Dave Chapman. Seven sexual assault cases in the past 10 years, including the two Washington is charged with, "have been genetically linked to a single perpetrator," according to a press release issued by Charlottesville police. The first attack linked to the serial rapist occurred in 1997. All but one have taken place in victims' homes. An attempted attack occurred in Lambeth Field in 2000. University officials, concerned parents and Charlottesville and Albemarle County police officers have used various methods to try to find the perpetrator. A reward of $55,000 was offered to anyone with information leading to the arrest of the suspect. The money was donated by University, Charlottesville and Albemarle County police as well as by the Parents Program of the University of Virginia Alumni Association and an anonymous parent who contributed $5,000. The attacks also prompted University officials to make students aware of the crimes as they occurred. According to University spokesperson Carol Wood, the University notifies students of all violent crimes through e-mail alerts. "We usually do mass e-mails on things like that, and we will continue to use that policy, but we also follow the lead of the police ... especially if there's a threat to the community," Wood said. The University, however, will not notify students and parents about updates in Washington's case because media coverage of his arrest has been so extensive, Wood added.
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