By KIMBERLY ACEVEDO
"We don't forget something, although it was 9 years ago...," Long Beach Police Commissioner John Laffey said. "We got this guy."
The suspect has a record of over 25 arrests, which include attempted murder of a police officer and prior convictions for burglary, said Long Beach Police Burglary Unit Det. Howard Domitz. Since Maize is considered a "persistent violent felony offender," Domitz said that if convicted, Maize would likely serve a minimum of 20 to 25 years in prison.
After requesting a re-analysis of their rape kits, Long Beach police were able to match the suspect to a house rape in the winter of 1993, Domitz said. The rape kits were sent to the Nassau County DNA Lab, analyzed and results were sent to the state. And, in late September, a match was made.
"All violent felony offenders have to supply DNA to the New York State data base," Domitz said. The data base is constantly updated and currently holds the DNA of over 100,000 violent felony offenders in New York State. In 2000, following a conviction for burglary, Maize's DNA was added to the list, Domitz said.
Officials were notified, and with the help of Long Beach Det. James Canner, retired Det. Shaun Dowling, Sex Crimes Unit Det. Georgene League and the United States New York New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force, the case was brought to fruition, Domitz said.
Domitz believes the arrest has brought some closure for the victim and her husband, not to mention Domitz himself. Nine years later, he went to deliver the news in person.
