20-007 Detectives Arrest Sexual Battery Suspect From A 1988 Cold Case Using Familial DNA
Cold Case Arrest
Who:
Pinellas County Sheriff's Office
Support Services Bureau
-AFIS Division
-Forensic Science Division
Investigative Operations Bureau
- Cold Case Homicide Unit
Gallatin Police Department, Tennessee
Sumner County District Attorney’s Office, Tennessee
Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE)
- Genetic Genealogy Team
Larry Eugene Gould (Arrested)
DOB: 06/27/1965
Address: 518 Joslin Avenue, Gallatin, Tennessee
Charges: One count Armed Sexual Battery
The victim is currently a 82-year-old female, per FL Statute 119.071(2)(h)1.b no other information will be released that would tend to identify the victim.
What:
Detectives assigned to the Cold Case Unit have arrested a sexual battery suspect from a 1988 cold case. Detectives were able to identify the suspect after familial DNA confirmed him as the suspect.
When:
The crime occurred at approximately 1:50 p.m. on September, 24 1988.
The suspect was arrested on Friday, January 10, 2020 in Gallatin, Tennessee.
Where:
The incident occurred at 5539 Park Street North (Carrie Hawkins Distinctive Gifts) in St. Petersburg.
Why/How:
According to detectives, at approximately 1:50 p.m. on September 24, 1988, an unknown white male in his mid-twenties entered the Carrie Hawkins Distinctive Gifts shop located at 5539 Park Street North in St. Petersburg and asked the victim, who was working alone, for assistance. During their conversation, the suspect produced a knife and ordered the victim into a back room of the store. The victim was threatened and sexually battered at knifepoint before the suspect fled the business.
Pinellas deputies responded to the scene, collected evidence, and a SAVE examination was conducted. However, no suspects were able to be identified.
In 1994, detectives reviewed the case by conducting more interviews and additional evidence was submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE).
In 1996, a male DNA profile was developed from the collected evidence. The suspect profile was entered into the local, state and national level of CODIS, but there were no matches. Numerous suspects were developed, but were either eliminated through DNA or incarceration.
Detectives in the Cold Case Homicide Unit began a review of the case in November 2017, and were able to eliminate several suspects with additional DNA samples. The suspect’s profile remained in CODIS with no matches being found.
In February 2019, detectives completed a written request with the State Attorney’s Office to the FDLE Familial Search Review Committee. The committee reviewed and approved the request to expand the DNA search to possible family members of the suspect.
On September 6, 2019, detectives were contacted by the FDLE Genetic Genealogy Team who advised a familial hit had been received from a search in this case. The search revealed a convicted offender in the database was a direct male relative of the unidentified DNA suspect profile.
Using this lead, investigators found that 54-year-old Larry Eugene Gould was a possible suspect. Gould was 23 years-old at the time of the crime, and lived in Pinellas County when the sexual battery occurred. Gould currently resides in Gallatin, Tennessee.
Detectives contacted the Gallatin Police Department and the Sumner County District Attorney’s Office in Tennessee for assistance. On Friday, November 15, 2019, the Gallatin Police Department obtained a search warrant to collect a DNA swab directly from Gould. The sample was collected and sent to FDLE for testing.
On Tuesday, January 7, 2020 detectives were notified by FDLE that the DNA sample collected from Gould did match the previously unidentified DNA suspect profile collected from the victim in 1988.
An arrest warrant was obtained through the Pinellas County State Attorney’s Office. Gould was taken into custody by the Gallatin Police Department on Friday, January 10, 2020. He was transported to the Gallatin Police Department in Tennessee and interviewed by Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office detectives.
According to detectives, Gould did not dispute the DNA evidence but denied raping anyone. He stated he would have consensual sexual relations with people within their open business and within minutes of meeting them.
Gould was charged with one count of Armed Sexual Battery. Gould was booked into the Sumner County Tennessee Jail, where he will be extradited to the Pinellas County Jail.
The investigative continues.
