A Navy diver who died nearly 30 years ago has been linked to six cold case rapes across four states, California officials announced on September 5, 2025. This breakthrough connects decades-old assaults with a single suspect, providing long-awaited answers for victims.
- Cold case rapes linked to Navy diver Sean McNulty
- DNA evidence identified McNulty as suspect in multiple states
- McNulty died by suicide in 1997, remains unidentified
- Investigators used genealogist and DNA comparison techniques
- Victims waited decades for closure and identification
- Ongoing investigation into potential other crimes
Investigators identified Sean Patrick McNulty as the suspect through DNA testing. The tests matched DNA from rape kits collected in Ventura County in the early 1980s, as well as cases in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana from the 1990s. McNulty died by suicide in Michigan in 1997 after being linked to a 1993 Indiana rape. Despite his death, authorities used genetic genealogy to connect him to all six cases, bringing closure to victims after decades.
- DNA from 1982-83 Ventura County cases matched in 2024, linking McNulty to those assaults.
- Genetic genealogy connected McNulty to rapes in Michigan (1994-95) and Ohio (1997).
- Records from a 1997 Indiana rape linked to McNulty provided DNA samples for comparison.
- Only one victim has been contacted so far; she waited 40 years for closure.
The investigation highlights how DNA analysis can solve cold cases long after the suspect’s death. Authorities continue outreach to victims and are exploring other possible crimes linked to McNulty.
This case underscores advances in forensic science, offering closure to victims and their families after decades of uncertainty.
