Rape suspect dies in Morgan County

DNA evidence helped Lebanon Police detectives arrest a suspect in a decades-old attempted rape case, but the matter is now closed after the man's death.

Police arrested Todd M. Richardson, 50, Jan. 28 in connection with an attempted rape reported in 1990, police said.

While he was out on bond in that case, U.S. Marshals and deputies with the Morgan County sheriff's office tried to serve him with an arrest warrant Thursday night in another case.

But Richardson escaped in a vehicle, leading authorities on a chase, Morgan County Sheriff Robert Downey said.

Downey said Richardson exited his vehicle and shot himself.

The death is being investigated by the Indiana State Police.

Richardson also was facing a pending voyeurism case in Tippecanoe County and a stalking case in Johnson County.

Detectives were investigating whether Richardson could be linked to any other open cases in Central Indiana.

The 1990 attempted rape case languished for decades without a suspect to match to the evidence, Lebanon police said, but when police in Johnson County arrested Richardson on suspicion of stalking in October, his DNA was collected, and the Indiana State Police Laboratory discovered a match.

Call IndyStar reporter Madeline Buckley at (317) 444-6083. Follow her on Twitter: @Mabuckley88.