Cleveland mass killing suspect linked to prior attack in Coronado

This Nov. 1, 2009 photo provided by the Cleveland Police Department shows Anthony Sowell, 50, who Cleveland Police arrested Saturday, Oct. 31 on a rape and felonious assault warrant. The bodies of 10 women were found in Sowell's home. (AP Photo/Cleveland Police Department)

The suspect in a gruesome mass killing in Cleveland, Ohio may be responsible for the attack on a woman in San Diego.

Authorities think a woman may have been raped in San Diego years ago by the convicted rapist at the center of a mass killing in Cleveland.

Ten bodies have been found at the Cleveland home of Anthony Sowell.

A Cleveland woman who recognized his photo on television called the Coronado Police Department and said she was raped in Coronado in 1979 by Sowell.

Sowell joined the Marine Corps at age 18 in 1978 and was stationed in San Diego for some of the eight years he was in the Marines.

San Diego 6 News has confirmed Coronado Police are trying to learn more about the unsolved crime from 31 years ago. They have not been able to find any records related to the crime and are now checking with other law enforcement agencies in the area to see if they may have handled the case.

“We are researching this and looking for information,” said Coronado Police Chief Louis Scanlon in an interview with the Cleveland Plain Dealer.

Investigators in Cleveland are preparing to begin tearing apart walls Sowell’s house where 10 bodies have been found.

Authorities say they’re going to go “bit by bit, piece by piece” as they look for more evidence or bodies in the case of Sowell.

See related: Police prepare to tear down walls of rapist’s home |  Neighbors had griped about odor at Ohio home for years

Sowell appeared in court Wednesday under tight security. He was ordered held without bond.

A prosecutor called Sowell “an incredibly dangerous threat to the public” and said he could face the death penalty if convicted of the charges: five aggravated murder counts. In addition, he faces charges of rape, felonious assault and kidnapping for an alleged attack on a woman at his home.

A public defender told the judge that Sowell has medical problems, including a heart pacemaker and cardiac medication.

The case now goes before a grand jury.

This story was written by San Diego 6 staff.

Tags: anthony sowell, assault, Cleveland, Coronado, marine corps, mass bodies, rape, SDNN, serial rapist

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 4th, 2009 at 2:43 pm and is filed under Crime, Local News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.