Justice Department Seeks Information about a Fullerton Man Suspected of Committing Multiple Rapes and Burglaries

Wednesday, June 9, 2010
Contact: (916) 210-6000, agpressoffice@doj.ca.gov

LOS ANGELES – The California Department of Justice asks the public for any information about Kevin Lee Francois, 44, who was arrested recently on charges related to an unsolved 2003 rape in Arizona and is a possible suspect in other sex crimes throughout the country.

Authorities believe Francois, who worked as a painter, may have other victims. He resided and worked in Orange and Los Angeles counties, but traveled extensively.

Police believe Francois primarily targeted college-age women who lived in residential areas near colleges. At times, he is suspected of breaking into homes and returning at a later date to assault a resident. He attended major sporting events around the world, including the Olympics, the Final Four College Basketball Tournament and the Super Bowl.

In January 2010, Newport Beach police arrested Francois, who was loitering around an apartment complex. His DNA sample, taken when he was booked on a felony charge of resisting an officer, matched DNA from a 2003 burglary and rape in Tempe, Arizona. As of Jan. 1, 2009, a DNA sample is taken from adults in California arrested for a felony.

Working with Arizona law enforcement officials, special agents with the California Department of Justice obtained a search warrant for Francois’ Fullerton residence. There, the agents found evidence indicating that Francois may be responsible for other burglaries and assaults throughout the United States over decades. Among the items found were more than 300 school and government photo identifications, hundreds of photos of unknown females, and worn women’s underwear.

Francois remains in custody at the Orange County Sheriff’s Department while awaiting extradition to Arizona.

A photograph of Francois is attached. Anyone with information about Francois is encouraged to call (323) 869-3400 and ask to speak to any special agent at the department’s Bureau of Investigation and Intelligence’s Major Crimes Team.

# # #
AttachmentSize
Image icon n1932_kevin_lee_francois.jpg184.15 KB