Rapist Promises To Identify Victims
03:58 PM ET 01/10/00
ST. LOUIS (AP) - Before he is sentenced to spend the rest of his
life in prison, a man who admits raping at least 29 women is
promising to help detectives resolve even more cases in which he
terrorized women.
Dennis Rabbitt, 43, pleaded guilty Friday to sexually assaulting
13 women and attempting to assault a teen-ager from 1988 to 1997.
He will be sentenced to life in prison in April.
In addition to those attacks - mostly in relatively crime-free
south St. Louis - he is also accused of raping women elsewhere in
Missouri and in Illinois, for a total of 29. His attorney said
Rabbit will plead guilty to the other cases as well.
But detectives are convinced Rabbitt has victimized many, many
more women than that. Over the next several weeks, detectives will
re-examine other incidents, and Rabbitt has promised to cooperate. His public defender, Terri Johnson, said Rabbitt ``wants to find
out the reason why he couldn't control his urges.'' ``He'll do whatever is necessary,'' she said. ``He's clearing
his conscience. He's eager to talk.''
Police said Rabbitt began his criminal life as a burglar at
about age 17. He was arrested last year in New Mexico.
``It's only logical that there are many more rapes than we know
about,'' said Detective Mark Kennedy. ``Even if he averaged only
four a year, that's more than 100 rapes.''
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