The “Bondi Beast”, a serial rapist, has been identified by Australian police. This is almost 40 years after his first attack.
New DNA technology has revealed that the perpetrator of terrorizing women in Sydney for many years was a man identified in local media as Keith Simms. He died in February at the age of 66.
New South Wales Police established Strike Force Doreen to investigate five cases of sexual assaults that occurred in the city’s eastern suburbs in 2005.
Detectives expanded their investigation to include 31 sexual assault offenses between 1985 and 2001 after further inquiries.
The attacker targeted women between the ages of 14 and 55, attacking them in their homes or stealing them while they were walking or jogging.
According to survivors, the man was between 160 and 180 cm tall with dark skin, dark hair and brown eyes.
Over the years, his physique transformed from being “thin” to becoming “athletic or muscular”.
Victims claimed that he threatened to use a knife, or was armed with one, and that he kept his face covered.
He was usually dressed casually, even in tracksuits or hoodies.
He was also known as the “Centennial Park rapper” and “Tracksuit Rapist”.
Despite many appeals to the community over the years for information, the attacks were not solved.
DNA evidence linked 12 incidents directly, while 19 others matched the attacker’s distinct pattern of criminal behavior.
Breakthroughs were made possible by a family DNA match in the police databases, which allowed detectives to reduce the suspect pool to just 324.
They eventually found Simms through their search.
“Further investigation and forensic tests, including additional Y STR testing, revealed that the DNA was associated to a man who had died earlier in this year, aged 66,” NSW Police stated in a Monday statement.
“Further forensic tests were conducted at the Forensic Analytical Science Services and it was confirmed that the DNA of the suspect was identical in September 2022.
The statement stated that Strike Force Doreen investigators had contacted survivors to advise them that the man was identified. However, due to the circumstances, it was not possible for any further legal action to be taken.
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