1998 West Falls Church Sexual Assault Case Solved: Police

WEST FALLS CHURCH, VA — A sexual assault cold case from 1998 has been solved, Fairfax County Police say.

The incident happened on Aug. 17, 1998 in the 7200 block of Parkwood Court. Police say the suspect appeared as an exterminator and forced entry into a 32-year-old woman's home. The man threatened the victim with a gun and sexually assaulted her before she jumped two stories from a balcony to escape.

DNA and fingerprints were taken as evidence from the scene, but the suspect's identity was not found. In early 2019, detectives resubmitted suspect’s DNA and fingerprints and received a fingerprint hit for Juan Johnson of Maryland. Johnson died in 2014 at age 48, but a blood sample from an autopsy allowed the Virginia Department of Forensic Science to match it to the DNA collected at the crime scene.

Detectives also believe that Johnson may be the suspect for an Arlington County case a week before the West Falls Church sexual assault. DNA from the case matched Johnson's profile.

Detectives are seeking information about other cases involving Johnson. To report information, contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800, option 8, or submit a tip through Crime Solvers.