JEFFERSON PARISH, LA - An inmate serving a life sentence in a Georgia prison was extradited to Jefferson Parish this week, where he will now stand trial in a series of rape incidents that occurred almost 40 years ago.
The inmate, 59-year-old Donnell Bluain, has been charged with six counts of aggravated rape, NOLA reported. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, August 18th.
Investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (JPSO) Cold Case Unit allege that Bluain is the long-unidentified assailant who raped six women after breaking into homes in East Jefferson between January and July of 1986. The victims lived in and near Metairie's Airline Park subdivision and Kenner.
The victims were between the ages of 24 and 62 at the time of assault, according to authorities. JPSO said between 1985 and 1986, they received multiple reports of various crimes, including home invasions, peeping tom incidents, rapes, attempted rapes, and burglaries in nearby neighborhoods, WDSU reported.
In 1986, JPSO investigators suspected that they were dealing with one perpetrator because of the similarities in the cases, including the man's description and his method of entering the residences through a window.
Investigators collected biological evidence in the cases, but DNA testing wasn't available at the time, according to JPSO. However, the cold case unit sent the samples off for analysis when detectives reopened the case in 2023. Bluain was then identified as the perpetrator in the Jefferson Parish rapes, according to the department.
Detectives learned that Bluain was already serving a life sentence in Georgia after he was convicted of three counts of rape, two counts of burglary, and other charges for similar assaults that occurred there in 1992. If convicted, Bluain faces up to life in prison. He is being held without bail at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who may have been victimized by Bluain, has information about the incidents, or is familiar with him is asked to call the Criminal Intelligence Center at 504-875-3300 or contact Crimestoppers.
The inmate, 59-year-old Donnell Bluain, has been charged with six counts of aggravated rape, NOLA reported. He is scheduled to be arraigned on Monday, August 18th.
Investigators with the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office (JPSO) Cold Case Unit allege that Bluain is the long-unidentified assailant who raped six women after breaking into homes in East Jefferson between January and July of 1986. The victims lived in and near Metairie's Airline Park subdivision and Kenner.
The victims were between the ages of 24 and 62 at the time of assault, according to authorities. JPSO said between 1985 and 1986, they received multiple reports of various crimes, including home invasions, peeping tom incidents, rapes, attempted rapes, and burglaries in nearby neighborhoods, WDSU reported.
In 1986, JPSO investigators suspected that they were dealing with one perpetrator because of the similarities in the cases, including the man's description and his method of entering the residences through a window.
Investigators collected biological evidence in the cases, but DNA testing wasn't available at the time, according to JPSO. However, the cold case unit sent the samples off for analysis when detectives reopened the case in 2023. Bluain was then identified as the perpetrator in the Jefferson Parish rapes, according to the department.
Detectives learned that Bluain was already serving a life sentence in Georgia after he was convicted of three counts of rape, two counts of burglary, and other charges for similar assaults that occurred there in 1992. If convicted, Bluain faces up to life in prison. He is being held without bail at the Jefferson Parish Correctional Center.
The investigation remains ongoing. Anyone who may have been victimized by Bluain, has information about the incidents, or is familiar with him is asked to call the Criminal Intelligence Center at 504-875-3300 or contact Crimestoppers.
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