Serial rapist may have assaulted more victims across US

Publish date: 2024-07-13

(KUTV) — A 69-year-old man was arrested in Utah in connection to multiple sexual assaults and rapes spanning across two states between 1994 and 2001. Police believe there may be more victims.

DNA evidence led law enforcement to linknine cases andMark Douglas Burnsto the crimes.

He is being held at the Davis County Jail on the following charges:

Police believe Burns committed other crimes in Clearfield, as well as in surrounding cities and states.

A statement by the Clearfield police department stated:

"Because of the grievous and brutal nature of these crimes, detectives believe there are more victims and do not believe Mr. Burns suddenly stopped committing such heinous crimes since 2001. Mr. Burns’s occupation included a long haul truck driver and has visited multiple cities in the Western United States."

"We are encouraging victims who have been assaulted by an unknown attacker with similar circumstances to contact their local police."

In May of 2015, several law enforcement agencies initiated a cold case investigation into the multiple sexual assaults in Clearfield, Layton and Ogden, Utah and Laramie and Rock Springs, Wyoming.

Through familial DNA, police made contact with Burns' half brother, which led them to the accused.

Clearfield police wrote this background about the decades-long investigation:

"The Clearfield Police Department investigated multiple aggravated sexual assaults (rapes) between 1994 and 2001. During the investigations, DNA evidence was collected, as well as other evidentiary items. In 2003, the Clearfield Police Department obtained a DNA warrant in regards to the sexual assaults that occurred in 2001 and 2003. At that time the rapes that occurred in 1994 and 1995 had not been connected to the 2001 and 2003 cases. In approximately 2010, due to the advancement of DNA technology, four other sexual assaults were linked to the 2001 and 2003 Clearfield cases when the DNA was entered into the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). In May of 2015, several law enforcement agencies initiated a cold case investigation into multiple sexual assault incidents that occurred in Clearfield City, Layton City, Ogden City, Laramie (Wyoming), and Rock Springs (Wyoming) between 1991 and 2001."

2News was able to acquire public records of arrests of Burns in North Carolina. He was convicted of rape in 1975 and also charged with a voyeurism misdemeanor in 1989.

Click here to view the court documents or below.

If you or someone you know is a survivor of rape or sexual assault, resources are available to help. If you or a loved one are in immediate danger, call 911.

The Utah-based Rape Recovery Center can be reached at 801-467-7273. A list of other rape, sexual assault, and domestic violence resources can be found online here.

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