Serial rapist who rampaged through Indianapolis for a decade ID’d as illegal migrant thanks to ICE, feds say
An ICE DNA collection program for immigrants played a crucial role in capturing a serial rapist who had been terrorizing women in Indianapolis for over a decade, as revealed by FBI Director Kash Patel. Leonel Catalán-Torreblanca, a 51-year-old illegal immigrant, is now facing a total of 30 charges, including rape, sexual battery, kidnapping, and strangulation related to a series of attacks that occurred between 2013 and 2024.
Despite authorities suspecting a connection between the various sexual assaults, they were unable to identify Catalán-Torreblanca as a suspect because his DNA profile was not in the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) database. His only prior brush with the law was a misdemeanor DUI arrest, which did not require a DNA swab.
However, following a recent ICE raid, Catalán-Torreblanca’s DNA profile was entered into CODIS, and it was found to match DNA profiles collected from the scenes of the alleged sexual assaults. This breakthrough allowed law enforcement to track him down to a relative’s house within four hours of confirming his DNA.
Authorities have confirmed that Catalán-Torreblanca is in the US illegally, but they are unsure of his exact origins. All of his alleged attacks took place within a 10-block radius on the north side of Indianapolis over the span of several years.
On April 26, the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office charged Catalán-Torreblanca with a multitude of serious offenses, including multiple counts of rape, sexual battery, burglary, criminal confinement, and kidnapping. He is currently being held on bond, and it is unclear if ICE has issued an immigration detainer against him.
The circumstances surrounding the ICE raid that led to the retrieval of Catalán-Torreblanca’s DNA have not been disclosed. However, FBI Director Kash Patel commended the FBI teams and partners for utilizing advanced DNA technology and CODIS to bring the alleged serial rapist to justice.
Overall, the collaboration between ICE, the FBI, and local law enforcement agencies highlights the importance of DNA technology in solving complex criminal cases and bringing perpetrators to account for their actions.
