Deceased Navy Diver Linked to Decades-Old Rapes Across Four States

California officials have identified Sean Patrick McNulty, a former Navy diver who died by suicide in 1997, as the suspect responsible for a series of home invasion rapes across four states between 1982 and 1997. DNA evidence from rape kits collected in Ventura County in 1982 and 1983 was matched through the FBI's Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) to assaults in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana, leading to a multi-state investigation. Although McNulty's body was cremated, investigators obtained a biological sample from a 1993 Indiana rape case where he was a suspect, confirming the DNA match. The crimes involved terrorizing victims with threats and intimidation, including calls warning them not to report the assaults. Authorities emphasized the importance of testing all evidence, regardless of the case's age, and expressed hope that the resolution brings closure to the victims. The investigation was a collaborative effort between Ventura County, Michigan, Ohio, Indiana law enforcement, and forensic genealogists.