:quality(85)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/infobae/DRGTLHBLRJAZVDQI6EWGD5H6LA.jpg "A man tried to blame his twin for two cases of rape: he was sentenced to 140 years")
After decades of impunity, justice reaches a predator in California, sentenced for atrocities committed in the 90s.
Kevin Konther, a 57-year-old man living in California, United States, was sentenced to 140 years in prison for the rape of a 9-year-old girl and a 32-year-old woman, in events that date back more than two decades. This sentence, handed down by a judge in Orange County Superior Court, marked the closure of a case that made significant advances thanks to genetic technology.
According to reports from NBC News, the investigation that led to the capture of Konther and his twin brother in 2019 revealed an unexpected twist when the convicted man tried to frame his brother for the crimes, taking advantage of their identical genetic makeup.
However, secret recordings between the two brothers after their arrest would contain multiple self-incriminating statements by Konther, including admissions of being the perpetrator of these acts.
In these recordings, the culprit is heard making derogatory comments towards women and talking about a “chemical imbalance” in his brain, which reflects the conflicts he has faced for years.
The judicial process culminated in the maximum sentence of 140 years to life in prison for Konther, who was convicted in February of two counts of forcible rape and other crimes, including the sexual assault of a third victim, the daughter of a former girlfriend.
People recalled that the attacks carried out by Konther date back to October 1995 and June 1998. In the first case, a 9-year-old girl was attacked while returning from buying school supplies. Nearly three years later, a 32-year-old woman suffered a similar fate while jogging in Mission Viejo. The identification of Konther as the aggressor was possible thanks to the DNA match in the two attacks, an advance obtained by the use of genetic studies in the 2018 investigation.
“The relentless effort at justice by the Orange County Police Department and the Orange County District Attorney’s Office has ensured that another predator who preys on young people and women will never be a threat again,” said the District Attorney, Todd Spitzer.
Kevin Konther attempted in vain to attribute his crimes to his twin brother, highlighting the complexity of these cases and the importance of evidence beyond DNA. The prosecution emphasized that, despite the genetic similarity, it was the making of covert recordings that finally made it possible to differentiate Konther as the culprit of these atrocious acts.
CBS News highlighted that this case not only highlights the advances in criminal investigation techniques, but also the persistence of authorities to ensure that justice is done, even decades after the crimes were committed. Now, with Konther behind bars, victims and their families can begin the long process of healing, knowing that their attacker faces the consequences of his actions.