Massachusetts fugitive ‘rapist with bad breath’ caught in California

BOSTON, MA —Tuen Lee, who earned the infamous nickname “The Bad Breath Rapist” due to his noticeable halitosis, was arrested nearly two decades after his first crime in Diablo, California. Lee was convicted in absentia of a 2005 rape and burglary in Quincy, Massachusetts, but fled before judgment.

The breakthrough in this long-stalled case came in early 2024, when investigators received a crucial tip that led them to a multimillion-dollar home owned by a flower shop owner in Diablo. Surveillance images and social media activity suggested Lee was living at the location under a false identity.

On May 28, 2024, a joint operation was conducted involving the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS) Metro Team, the U.S. Marshals Service Boston, the Quincy Police Department, and the Northern California Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force.

Lee and a woman were seen leaving the home and were subsequently stopped by Danville police. Lee initially gave a false name, but upon further questioning confessed his true identity. His identity was confirmed by fingerprint analysis.

Lee’s partner of 15 years reportedly knew nothing of his criminal past.

Lee was arrested at the Danville Police Department and is awaiting extradition to Massachusetts to face trial for his crimes.