Police in Sydney have identified a serial rapist who sexually assaulted 31 women over the course of 15 years.
Using DNA technology, police identified Keith Simms, 66, as the “beast of Bondi” and linked him to 12 rapes.
Simms has also been linked to 19 other crimes between 1986 and 2001, according to a report from 7NEWS Australia.
Police in New South Wales said he targeted women between the ages of 14 and 55, entering their homes or abducting them while they were out on a walk or jogging.
“Police were told the man was always either armed with a knife or threatened the presence of a knife and spoke with an Australian accent,” they said.
His victims had given the same description and identified him as 160-180cm tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and a wide nose.
Simms also kept his face covered and wore casual clothes like tracksuits, hoodies or football shorts.
Simms died in February this year, just months before officers were able to question him.
Police said DNA links would offer solace to his victims.
In 2019, authorities mapped out 324 individuals from five branches of Simms’ family tree.
They then narrowed it down to 120 people and ruled out members on the basis of age and known location at the time of the attacks.
In September, samples taken from victims matched Simms’ perfectly, reported the BBC.
Investigators who broke the news to Simms’ family said they were “shocked”.
“We met with his wife and she was absolutely shocked,” detective Sergeant Shelley Johns told The Daily Telegraph.
“She couldn’t believe the man she knew could have done these things.”
Friends and family had described him as a loving father, grandfather and community member.
Investigating officials reached out to the victims and informed them that while their attacker has been identified, legal action cannot be taken due to his death.
