Feb 14, 2007 8:30 pm US/Eastern
Man Arrested Could Be ''East End Rapist''
by Marty Griffin
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
In the summers of 2000 and 2001, he terrorized women in several East End neighborhoods.
Now, in what authorities are calling a major breakthrough, police believe they have the man who became known as the "East End Rapist."
Keith Wood is being held in the Allegheny County Jail on a $1 million bond.
He was picked up by police Tuesday night at his Stanton Heights home.
He's charged with the sexual assault of an Edgewood woman in July of 2000 but he's also getting a real close look as the suspect in the other rapes linked to the East End Rapist.
Five years ago, sex assault detectives had files and files on the East End Rapist, but no arrest.
They had put out a composite sketch and cleared nearly 40 potential suspects with DNA tests.
Then-Coroner Cyril Wecht predicted the case could be cleared with DNA.
"DNA could give us a good strong indication very fast," said Wecht.
In fact, it's what's cracked this case.
The criminal complaint says a DNA sample taken from Keith Wood, while he was in prison in 2005, was run through an FBI computer system called "CODIS."
It matched DNA found on a sexual assault victim who was raped in her Edgewood home in July 2001.
Over the years, police conducted intense city wide searches and questioned multiple suspects to no avail.
Even though he apparently never raped again after the summer of 2001, police were still concerned.
"When the robberies started escalating in violence, there were some sexual assaults on women in these robberies," said William Mullen of the Pittsburgh Police. "Obviously, we would have to look and see if he could possibly be the East End Rapist."
Wood is now charged with several crimes including rape, sex assault and robbery.
Sources say police will now use that same DNA sample in an attempt to tie Wood to the other sex assaults believed to have been committed by the East End Rapist.
There's no comment from Allegheny County Police regarding the arrest of Wood.
Police in Edgewood, who made the initial report nearly six years ago, say they were very pleased to hear about his arrest.
(© MMVII, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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