‘Bad Breath Rapist’ Wanted in Massachusetts Arrested in California

When investigators tracked down the whereabouts of the Quincy fugitive, nicknamed the “Bad Breath Rapist,” nearly 17 years after he fled Massachusetts mid-trial in 2007, authorities said he was living in a multimillion-dollar Central California home with the owner of a flower shop, who had no idea who he was.

Tuen Kit Lee, alias “Dickie,” was arrested Tuesday during a traffic stop in Danville, California, about 25 miles east of Oakland. He lived in nearby Diablo.

Lee’s arrest came after a lengthy manhunt involving U.S. Marshals, Massachusetts State Police, officers from Quincy and Danville, and a number of special operations teams.

“There are violent criminals who believe they can commit crimes without being held accountable for their actions,” said Chief Inspector Sean LoPiccolo of the U.S. Marshal Service in a statement released Tuesday.

“Tuen Lee was on the run for more than 16 years, and the tireless efforts of law enforcement to find and capture him will hopefully bring peace of mind to the victim and her family,” said LoPiccolo, deputy chief of the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force in Northern California.

Lee’s family owned the Kagawa restaurant in Quincy. Lee was wearing a mask when he broke into the home of a waitress who worked at the restaurant on Feb. 2, 2005. He threatened her with a knife, tied her face down to a bed with zip ties and sexually assaulted her, police reported.

Lee’s bad breath and DNA helped with identification and local media quickly dubbed him “the Bad Breath Rapist.”

After his arrest, Lee posted $100,000 bail and testified at his trial in Norfolk Superior Court, but did not appear for closing arguments or sentencing.

After two days of deliberation, Lee was found guilty in absentia. The 55-year-old faces a life sentence in prison.

The case was featured more than once on the show “America’s Most Wanted,” and in August 2023 authorities offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to an arrest, but the case remained largely unsolved until early 2024.

At that point, Massachusetts State Police Officer Andy Mason “had the chance he needed,” according to a state police statement.

Investigators have identified an address in Diablo belonging to a flower shop owner, and a picture on social media appears to show Lee, the statement said.

Detective John Menz of the Quincy Police Department and other Massachusetts investigators were on scene Tuesday when surveillance officers followed a man and woman from their Diablo apartment to their vehicle and conducted a traffic stop, the U.S. Marshals Service said.

Lee initially gave a false name, but “confessed when asked his true identity,” according to the Marshals Service. Fingerprints confirmed Lee’s identity.

The woman, who lived with Lee, was with him when he was arrested. Her identity has not been released.

“His partner did not know who he really was, despite their 15 years together in California,” the Marshals Service said.

Lee has been booked into the Danville Police Department and will be held there until he is transported to Massachusetts.

“I am very grateful to the Massachusetts State Police Fugitive Unit and the men and women of the U.S. Marshals Service who made this arrest possible,” Quincy Police Chief Mark Kennedy said in a statement.

You can reach Tonya Alanez at [email protected]. Follow her @talanez.