74-year-old suspected serial rapist arrested for sexual assault of Dallas woman in 1985

A 74-year-old man who authorities believe is linked to at least six sexual assaults in Dallas and Shreveport, Louisiana between 1980-1985, has been arrested for one of those sexual assaults.

David Thomas Hawkins has been charged with aggravated sexual assault of a Dallas woman in 1985.

Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot announced the arrest, which was in collaboration with his office’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative team, the Dallas Police Department, and the FBI.

DNA evidence reportedly links Hawkins to three other sexual assaults in Dallas, and two aggravated sexual assaults in Shreveport.

This arrest comes after evidence in the 1985 Dallas case was examined by experts in forensic genetic genealogy. They used the same DNA testing used in the Golden State Killer case.

Investigators were able to link Hawkins with the evidence in the sexual assault collection kit.

No additional charges have been brought against Hawkins at this time in the other five sexual assault cases.