Rape suspect Roberto Gaona-Pina was released from jail last week after a DeKalb County judge ordered the charges filed against him to be dropped.
Brookhaven police said Tuesday, however, that their case remains open — and Norcross authorities said they still consider Gaona-Pina the primary suspect in two other rapes.
Gaona-Pina was arrested in Alabama on May 21, more than two weeks after Brookhaven police named him as a suspect in the April 24 rape of a woman near North Cliff Valley Way. The victim in that attack was walking along Buford Highway when a male grabbed her arm, pulled her into a wooded area and assaulted her both physically and sexually.
Gaona-Pina was charged in the incident and in jail until Thursday, when, according to Channel 2 Action News, a judge dropped the charges against him because the woman told conflicting stories about the incident.
Brookhaven police declined Tuesday to delve into specifics about the case, but said there could be new developments soon.
“This is still an open case with developments expected later in the week; however, it could be next week,” Maj. Brandon Gurley said in an email.
Developments could also be coming in the investigation into a pair of rapes in the city of Norcross.
Gaona-Pina has never been charged in those cases — which involve separate December attacks on women waiting at the same Jimmy Carter Boulevard bus stop — but Norcross police have previously identified him as their primary suspect.
Capt. Bill Grogan said Tuesday that the department was awaiting DNA results to confirm their suspicions.
“If he ends up being a match to our DNA,” Grogan said, “the only difficulty will be locating him again.”
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