Press Release
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: 02/11/2009

Contact person(s):

Media Coordinator, Theresa Menshek (707) 565-3099 Media Spokesperson, Assistant District Attorney Christine M. Cook

Santa Rosa, Sonoma County, California

DNA COLD HIT LEADS TO ARREST IN 2007 SEXUAL ASSAULT
Man Is Already Facing Trial in Sacramento on Another Case

Sonoma County District Attorney Stephan Passalacqua announced today that as a result of a “cold hit” on the Department of Justice’s DNA Database, a former Sebastopol man currently pending jury trial in Sacramento for an attempted sexual assault, now faces additional charges for a rape committed in Rohnert Park in 2007.

District Attorney Passalacqua stated, “We are pleased that this cold hit technology will help bring justice in a previously unsolved stranger assault case.  Under the law, the cases will be prosecuted together in Sacramento to avoid the trauma of both victims testifying on two occasions, as well as to avoid the expense of two trials in two counties.”

Pursuant to a law designed to reduce trauma to multiple sexual assault victims, District Attorney Passalacqua and Sacramento County District Attorney Jan Scully have agreed that this case against Deverick Lockett, 27, will be prosecuted in Sacramento along with his other pending case.  Noting that Lockett’s Sacramento case was well under way by the time he was identified as a suspect in the Rohnert Park assault, District Attorney Passalacqua said that the offices have worked together and in consultation with the victim in making the decision to handle the cases together. 

On September 20, 2007 at approximately 1:15 a.m., the Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety responded to the Shell Gas Station located at 1484 E. Cotati Avenue for a report of a female bleeding.  Paramedics transported the young female, who had been beaten and sexually assaulted, to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital for treatment of her injuries.  A sexual assault exam was conducted and specimens were collected for DNA analysis.  The young female recalled very little of the assault and was unable to describe the attacker who approached her from behind.  Despite a concerted effort, no suspect was identified. 

On December 1, 2008, a routine search of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) returned a “cold hit” allegedly linking DNA profile evidence from the assault to a DNA profile in the database.  Lockett, the resulting suspect, was in a Sacramento jail pending trial in a sexual assault that occurred on September 23, 2007, just three days after the Rohnert Park assault.  Additional investigation ensued, as well as coordination between the Sonoma County and Sacramento District Attorney’s Offices. 

The Sacramento case involved a 46 year old female victim who reported being beaten and dragged from the parking lot of an apartment complex into a laundry room, where the male assailant attempted to sexually assault her.  A witness interrupted the assault, was struck by the assailant several times, but was able to chase the assailant away. Lockett is facing 35 years to life on the Sacramento charges and 55 years to life in the Sonoma County case.  Lockett was arraigned in a Sacramento Court yesterday afternoon on the new charges and a preliminary hearing date of February 23, 2009, was set.  As any defendant facing criminal charges, Lockett is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty.

Chief Deputy District Attorney Joan Risse handled the Sonoma County matter on behalf of the District Attorney’s Office.  Detective John Gilson of Rohnert Park Department of Public Safety investigated the case.  Sacramento Deputy District Attorney Thomas Asker is prosecuting the two matters.

For further information on the case as it proceeds, contact Sacramento County District Attorney’s Communications & Media Officer Shelly Orio at (916) 874-0083.