‘Bad breath rapist’ caught after 16 years on the run

A fugitive known as the “Bad Breath Rapist” who had been on the run for more than a decade was arrested in California on Tuesday, authorities said.

Tuen Kit Lee was taken into custody on Tuesday, the US Marshals Service said in a Press release. Lee was found guilty of kidnapping and raping a young girl in 2005 in Quincy, Massachusetts, but fled during his trial in September 2007, according to the news release. He was nicknamed the “Bad Breath Rapist” because the smell of his breath was one of the pieces of evidence that led to his identification, CBS reported.

Authorities suspected Lee had fled Massachusetts but did not know where, according to the news release. The Massachusetts State Police had previously offered a reward of up to $10,000 for information leading to Lee’s arrest, CBS reported.

Investigators with the Massachusetts State Police Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS) then discovered that Lee was possibly staying in Diablo, California, according to the press release. Investigative leads were sent to the U.S. Marshals Service’s Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force (PSWRFTF) in Northern California, who, in collaboration with the Danville Police Department, confirmed that Lee was staying in the area.

Massachusetts investigators went to California and, in collaboration with other law enforcement agencies, arrested Lee on Tuesday – 16 years after he fled.

“There are violent criminals out there who believe they can commit crimes and not be held accountable for their actions,” said Chief Inspector Sean LoPiccolo, acting commander of the PSWRFTF, in the press release. “Tuen Lee has been on the run for over 16 years and authorities’ unwavering dedication to locating and arresting him will hopefully bring peace of mind to the victim and his family.”