A Massachusetts fugitive who gained notoriety as the "Bad Breath Rapist," was apprehended by U.S. Marshals and other law enforcement officials in California on Tuesday, after nearly 17 years on the run.
Marshals announced on Tuesday that the agency’s Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force (PSWRFTF) in Northern California and the Massachusetts Fugitive Task Force arrested Tuen Kit Lee, 55, with the help of the Massachusetts State Police and Quincy Police Department.
Lee is accused of fleeing his trial in September 2007. A jury found him guilty of kidnapping and raping a woman in 2005, when he fled before sentencing.
Boston 25 News reported that authorities claim Lee’s family owned a restaurant in Quincy, and he raped a waitress from the restaurant at her home after breaking in on Feb. 2, 2005.
During the crime, Lee wore a mask and held the victim at knife point before zip-tying her to the bed and sexually assaulting her, investigators alleged.
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The victim was found by her boyfriend several hours later, bound to the bed. The boyfriend told investigators he went to the home after he was unable to reach his girlfriend by phone.
The victim identified Lee as the perpetrator after she identified him by his bad breath, which led to media outlets calling him the "Bad Breath Rapist."
After Lee was found guilty of kidnapping and rape, he was believed to have fled the state and could not be located until recently.
Marshals said the Massachusetts State Police received a tip that Lee was possibly living in Diablo, California.
State police contacted U.S. marshals in northern California to investigate the tip and were able to verify he was in fact in the area. Lee was taken into custody on Tuesday morning, bringing a 16-year search to a close.
"There are violent offenders out there who believe they can commit crimes and not be held accountable for their actions," Chief Inspector Sean LoPiccolo, acting PSWRFTF commander, said. "Tuen Lee was on the run for more than 16 years and the unwavering dedication by law enforcement to locate and arrest him hopefully brings peace of mind to the victim and her family."
