The Potomac River Rapist

The Potomac River Rapist is one of the Crimes Solved by DNA Ancestry Companies. The man known as the Potomac River Rapist was feared throughout Washington, DC in the 1990s. He committed at least 10 rapes from 1991 to 1998 by cutting phone lines and restraining and raping women in their own homes. As his crime spree progressed, he became more violent and would brutally assault his victims and eventually even murder Christine Mirzayan. Unfortunately, police were only coming up with dead ends at the time and the killer escaped justice for decades.

The tides did not turn until one of the killer's own family performed a home DNA test and submitted the results to GEDMatch. Parabon Labs was able to establish a relationship between the DNA of the family member and genetic material from the crimes. They were eventually able to apprehend Giles Daniel Warrick, 60, and charge him with the rapes and murder.

Born: October 16, 1959
Died: November 19, 2022
Years active: 1991-1998