Police Department

Arrest Made in Sexual Assault Case from 1999

Officer John O'Brien

Thursday, February 22, 2018 at 3:18 p.m.

Male Taken into Custody for 1999 Sexual Assault Cold Case

On February 20^th, 2018, fifty-four year old Theodore Milam was arrested for a violent sexual assault crime that occurred in 1999. Milam’s DNA sample returned January of this year with a match to Milam and the crime scene.

On February 20^th, 2018, Spokane Police Department (SPD) officers had knowledge of a felony warrant issued for Milam and located him in the area of 1700 E. Desmet. Officers arrested him on the warrant that was issued the same day.

Milam was transported and booked into the Spokane County Jail for the warrant charges of Rape 1^st degree, Kidnap 1^st degree, Burglary 1^st degree, Robbery 1^st degree and Burglary 2^nd degree.

Since 1999, several detectives have continued to look at this cold case where a female had been violently assaulted by a man. Numerous leads were followed up and several subjects had been eliminated as suspects. It wasn’t until Milam’s last arrest for a felony theft that required him to provide a DNA sample per RCW 43.43.754.

This January, the Washington State Patrol (WSP) Crime Lab, utilizing the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), provided a match of a DNA sample from the sexual assault crime scene to the DNA sample taken from Milam. The DNA sample from Milam also led to an arrest warrant being issued from Pasco, WA for a 1986 homicide.

The SPD’s investigation is ongoing.

This arrest highlights the dedication of SPD detectives who never gave up. They are committed to serving victims, seeking justice and providing a safe community.

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