CLAYTON COUNTY, Ga. — An alleged serial rapist was arrested on Tuesday, after a four-year search for a man believed to have victimized at least eight women, possibly more, and terrorized at least two Clayton County communities.
Kenneth Thomas Bowen III is in custody and accused in the rapes, which all occurred at the homes of women in Jonesboro and Riverdale, almost all at apartment complexes and townhomes.
While eight cases prior to this year had confirmed DNA links, there were at least two more in the past months that police believed had the hallmarks of the rapist, as well.
This is the string of devastating attacks they believe they've brought to an end:
- July 4, 2015; Chaselake Dr. Jonesboro: A police report indicated the first attack happened just after midnight and also involved an armed robbery, a hallmark of at least some of the cases. It does not offer further details.
- Dec. 12, 2016; Chaselake Dr., Jonesboro: A rape and robbery was reported at the same apartment complex, nearly a year and a half after the first known attack. A police report does not offer further details.
- Dec. 16, 2016; Jonesboro Rd, Jonesboro: Just three days after the second attack, the third known victim was assaulted about a mile down the road from the previous apartment complex. The victim told police she was coming home from work and about to unlock her door when the rapist jumped out of the bushes and held a knife to her throat. When the rape was finished, he forced the victim to shower and stole her phone - attempts to obscure evidence and prevent his victim from contacting help.
- April 16, 2017; Wynnfield Dr., Jonesboro: Roughly four months after the last known attack, a woman reported she woke with a man next to her in bed. He was said to have a mallet with him and repeatedly punched her to keep her quiet, but she continued to struggle against him and he eventually gave up and fled out a back window, where he was believed to have entered.
- May 5, 2017; Brookview Dr., Riverdale: A month later, the rapist commits the fifth known assault. This was the first in Riverdale, roughly five miles from the earlier attacks. A police report does not offer further details.
- July 20, 2017; Roberts Dr., Riverdale: Just a half-mile from the previous assault, the rapist attacked a sixth victim, the third known rape in a three-month span in 2017. A police report does not offer further details.
- April 11, 2018; Riverview Pl., Jonesboro: After a roughly nine-month period in which no more known attacks occurred, the rapist returned to Jonesboro and assaulted his seventh victim in three years. The victim reported that before leaving, he stole her phone so she could not call 911.
- June 8, 2018; Magnolia Cir., Jonesboro: The last known attack confirmed by DNA occurred last summer, less than a mile from the previous rape about two months prior. There are at least two cases from this year that police believed bore the hallmarks of the serial rapist, but that do not yet have confirmed DNA links.
- July 29, 2019; Tara Rd., Jonesboro: The most recent attack was linked to Bowen in a 60-count grand jury indictment released in November. According to a police report, the victim said “she was asleep on the loveseat when she woke and found the suspect over her with his hands over her mouth.” 11Alive's La'Tasha Givens reported on the attack at the time.