Man accused of raping 91-year-old woman detained in Mexico

Man accused of raping 91-year-old woman detained in Mexico

By ANN KEIL
6 News Reporter

TELLICO PLAINS (WATE) -- March will mark two years since a 91-year-old woman was brutally attacked and raped in her Tellico Plains home. Police say they're now one step closer to bringing the accused man to justice.

"This is a day we have all been waiting for since March the fifth of 2008," says Tellico Police Chief Bill Isbell.

The accused man is Francisco Barbosa, 35, a Mexican national who's been captured in Mexico.

Chief Isbell says Barbosa was linked to the crime through DNA evidence.

"Someone in that neighborhood knew something that they weren't telling us. The fifth time we interviewed that someone, it turns out her boyfriend's brother had spent the night there and that turned out to be Barbosa," Isbell says.

Since then, the U.S. Marshals Service has worked with Mexican authorities to track down Barbosa. He faces charges of aggravated rape and especially aggravated burglary.

"It did take a little bit of time because we had to hunt him down in his native land with his native language, but in the end, I think things turned out well," says Paul Salayko, with the U.S. Marshals Service.

An empty lot now marks the spot of the heinous crime. The elderly victim has since moved to Ohio with relatives.

6 News was told the night of the attack could have turned out much worse.

"The profiler on this case tells us that the intention is homicide and post mortem rape so it's a sick, sick crime," Chief Isbell says.

He adds that it will likely take six months to bring Barbosa back to Monroe County, where he'll then stand trial.

The district attorney's office, the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the FBI and other local police departments were also involved in the investigation and capture of Barbosa.