'So brazen:' Investigators hope DNA will lead to arrest after sexual assault on bike trail
Kenosha County Bike Trail
KENOSHA -- "Monster" is the word Kenosha County sheriff's officials used on Tuesday, March 27 to describe a suspect who sexually assaulted a woman, 67, on the Kenosha County Bike Trail on Sunday.
He remains at large.
Sheriff's officials said the woman was walking alone on the trail between 89th St. and 93rd St. around 1 p.m. Sunday, March 25 when a strange man tackled her to the ground, tried to rape her and then ran off when someone came by.
Investigators are now hoping DNA evidence can lead them to the suspect.
Kenosha County Bike Trail
Elaine and Terry
"I'm just uncomfortable even thinking about walking it," said Elaine, who lives near the bike trail.
Elaine and Terry live just behind the spot where the woman was sexually assaulted.
"I was in shock because I love the bike trail and we walk it almost every day," said Elaine.
The random attack has left many residents on edge -- and law enforcement with few leads on a possible suspect.
"It's so brazen, so aggressive and so out of the norm. We don't take calls for anything remotely like this," said Sergeant Mark Malecki, Kenosha County Sheriff's Department.
Kenosha County Bike Trail
Mark Malecki
Sergeant Malecki said the victim was taken to a hospital, where sexual assault nurse examiners, or SANE nurses, performed a rape kit. That evidence, along with evidence collected at the scene, is already at the Crime Lab in Milwaukee, being tested for a possible DNA match with someone in the system.
"We're doing our best to get to the bottom of this as quickly as we can," said Malecki.
Crime Lab
In the meantime, Malecki urged people out exercising on the trail to be on the lookout for any suspicious behavior.
Sheriff's officials said physically, the woman is expected to be OK, but emotionally, she's very shaken up.
The suspect is described as a black man in his 30s, standing around 5'8" with a stocky build.
The Kenosha County Sheriff’s Department wants to encourage anyone with any information about this incident to contact Crimestoppers or the sheriff's department directly.
Kenosha County Bike Trail