News Releases

Montgomery County Police Detectives Identify and Arrest Rapist in Forty-One-Year-Old Case

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, November 29, 2022

Gaithersburg, MD - The Montgomery County Department of Police Major Crimes Division - Cold Case Unit has arrested a North Carolina man for a rape and sexual assault committed more than forty-years ago.

 

In March of 2022, Cold Case detectives Alyson Dupouy, Tara Augustin and forensic specialists from the Montgomery County Crime Lab, Biology Unit, identified an open rape case from April 1981 and submitted evidence collected from the rape to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) for additional testing.

 

On Monday, October 31, a search of the FBI’s National DNA Index System (NDIS), identified a match, connecting the DNA to 65-year-old Marion Edward Pearson, Jr., of Durham, NC.

 

Pearson, Jr. lived in Prince Georges County and frequented the University of Maryland/ College Park area. He had been arrested several times for assault, indecent exposure and peeping-tom, between 1980 and 1999. Pearson, Jr. recently served 22-years in a NC prison for a series of first-degree rapes and was released in 2020.

 

His criminal history in NC includes occupied burglaries with the intent of sexual assault, peeping-tom, trespassing, rape and robbery.

 

On Monday, April 20, 1981, while Pearson, Jr. was living in Prince Georges County, a woman was assaulted and raped near the 1800 block of University Boulevard West in Silver Spring. DNA evidence was collected in this case.

 

On Saturday, June 13, 1981, a second victim was attacked and sexually assaulted in the area of Connecticut Avenue near Denfield Road, in Silver Spring. The suspect description and pattern were similar to the April 20 rape.

 

Based on the CODIS match and similarities in the two cases, detectives obtained an arrest warrant for Pearson, charging him with first-degree rape, false imprisonment, robbery, and assault for the April 1981 rape and attempted first-degree rape, false imprisonment, and assault for the June 1981 assault. 

 

In coordination with the Durham County Sheriff’s Department, Pearson, Jr. was arrested without incident on Monday, November 28, 2022.

 

Pearson, Jr. is awaiting extradition to Maryland.

 

Because of Pearson, Jr.’s extensive criminal history in both MD and NC, which includes rape, detectives believe there may be more victims.  Anyone who believes they may be a victim or has information regarding Marion Edward Pearson, Jr., is asked to contact the Montgomery County Department of Police Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070 or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477). Callers may remain anonymous.  

 

 

                                                              

 

 

 

         

 

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Release ID: 22-586
Media Contact: S.D. Goff 
Categories: arrest