A Massachusetts man wanted for rapes 35 years ago is arrested following a Los Angeles police chase

After nearly 35 years on the run, Stephen Gale, a man accused of raping two women in Massachusetts, has finally been apprehended in southern California. The 71-year-old fugitive was captured on Thursday in Los Angeles following an hour-and-a-half-long pursuit by U.S. Marshals.

Gale’s arrest marks a significant breakthrough in a cold case that dates back to December 27, 1989, when he allegedly carried out a horrific attack at the Hit or Miss clothing store on Route 9 in Framingham, Massachusetts. According to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan, DNA evidence linked Gale to the crime earlier this year.

The incident began when Gale entered the store under the pretense of purchasing clothes. He then brandished a gun and forced two women to the back of the store.

Prosecutors say Gale ordered one of the women to empty the store’s safe and cash registers, as well as her own purse, and place the money in a bag. The other woman was instructed to lock the doors and put up a sign indicating that the store would open late.

Once the women were isolated, Gale allegedly forced them to remove their clothing and locked them in separate rooms. He is accused of sexually assaulting each woman while holding a gun to their heads. After the attack, the women managed to escape and seek help, but Gale fled the scene and remained at large for over three decades.

“For the two women who were victimized by him in 1989, the wait for answers has been long and painful,” District Attorney Ryan said in a statement. “While Mr. Gale has made significant efforts to conceal his identity, the efforts by law enforcement were even more relentless.”

The key to identifying Gale came from the district attorney’s cold case unit, which announced a breakthrough in the case in May 2023. DNA from genetic genealogy, a method that uses DNA to determine how closely two people are related, ultimately led investigators to Gale. DNA samples taken from Gale’s family members connected him to the rapes, leading to his indictment in May.

Following the indictment, the U.S. Marshals Service offered a $5,000 reward for information leading to Gale’s arrest. It remains unclear whether anyone will receive that reward, as details on how authorities located Gale have not yet been disclosed.