Louisiana Suspect Arrested in 1988 Rape Cold Case in Calcasieu Parish

Lake Charles, Louisiana – A suspect from Louisiana has been arrested in a 1988 rape cold case in Calcasieu Parish.

The Calcasieu Parish Sheriff’s Office (CPSO) reported on April 24, 2023, that on July 3, 1988, detectives received a complaint regarding an aggravated rape.

During the inquiry, the woman informed authorities that an unknown man had broken into her home through a window. She stated the suspect struck her until she passed out, and when she awoke, she was being raped. The victim was sent to a nearby hospital for treatment, at which point DNA was discovered and collected.

Because of technological advancements since the original occurrence, the Southwest Louisiana Crime Lab recently submitted the DNA obtained from the scene to Combined DNA Index Systems (CODIS). Dartanyan K. Breaux, 57, of Lake Charles, Louisiana, was later identified as a match by detectives with the CPSO Special Victims Unit.

Breaux was apprehended by CPDO SVU officers on April 19. He was arrested and booked into the Calcasieu Correctional Center after speaking with detectives. He was charged with aggravated rape. His bond was set at $950,000 by Judge Tony Fazzio.

The crime of aggravated rape carries a sentence of up to life in prison in Louisiana.

Detective Cory Myers of the CPSO Special Victims Unit is the case’s principal investigator.

An arrest is an indication that probable cause exists to believe the subject was involved in the offense alleged. A person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.