Modern DNA forensic technology helped the Jefferson Parish Sheriff’s Office identify a suspect in a nearly 40-year-old cold case, the sheriff's office said Wednesday.
According to the sheriff’s office, from 1985 to 1986 JPSO detectives investigated a series of rapes, home invasions, peeping Tom incidents, and attempted rapes that took place at numerous residences on the Eastbank of Jefferson Parish. Those cases eventually went cold.
While DNA forensic testing was not available at the time of the incidents, evidence was collected from the crime scenes and stored.
JPSO created a special task force to solve the cases. The investigation led detectives to believe the crimes were committed by one person.
In 2023, JPSO Cold Case Detectives re-examined the DNA evidence and sent it to a lab for analysis.
The sheriff’s office said through modern DNA testing, Donnell Bluain, 58, was identified as the perpetrator of the crimes in Jefferson Parish all those years ago.
Bluain is currently serving a life sentence in another state on rape charges there where JPSO detectives believe he moved after committing the crimes in Jefferson Parish.
The sheriff’s office said Bluain is now wanted on three counts of aggravated rape.
It is unclear if Bluain will be charged with the 38-year-old crimes in Jefferson Parish but the sheriff’s office says the investigation into Bluain is still ongoing.
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