Cleveland inmate charged with 5 cold case rapes, 1 murder after DNA testing

5/3/2014
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Larry McGowan.
Larry McGowan.

CLEVELAND — An Ohio inmate serving an 11-year sentence for sexual assault has been charged with five cold case rapes between 1996 and 2010 and with killing one of those victims.

A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted 38-year-old Larry McGowan on 23 charges Friday after authorities say he was connected to the cases through DNA testing.

It’s unclear whether McGowan has an attorney.

McGowan’s new charges include the rape and murder of 41-year-old Maxine Pratt in Cleveland in 1997.

Prosecutors say after raping Pratt, McGowan drove a car over her head.

Prosecutor Timothy McGinty says McGowan is “a cold-blooded killer and psychopath who destroys lives.”

McGowan’s indictment is the 100th brought through the work of the prosecutor’s DNA Cold Case Task Force since it was formed in March last year.