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Massachusetts rapist who was on the US most wanted list and suffered from bad breath has been arrested

A wanted Massachusetts rapist has been arrested after nearly 20 years on the run.

On February 2, 2005, Tuen Lee broke into a co-worker’s home and raped her, according to Massachusetts State Police. Detectives from Quincy, Massachusetts, investigated the incident and quickly identified and arrested Lee.

Lee was eventually identified through his DNA and his terrible breath, earning him the nickname “The Bad Breath Rapist.” The case went to trial in Norfolk Superior Court and after two days of deliberation, the jury found him guilty on all counts, but Lee fled the state after the guilty verdict.

For decades, the Violent Fugitive Apprehension Section (VFAS) Metro Team and Quincy PD detectives spent hundreds of hours trying to find Lee. There were multiple media campaigns, including several appearances on America’s Most Wanted, but it wasn’t until earlier this year that investigators got the break they needed in a case that had seemingly stalled.

New information brought the case to light. An address for Lee was found in Diablo, California. Further investigation revealed that the multi-million dollar residence belonged to a flower shop owner. Open source information provided investigators with images of a person on social media who they believed to be Lee.

On May 28, 2024, VFAS Metro, the United States Marshals Service Boston, and Quincy PD joined forces with the Pacific Southwest Regional Fugitive Task Force of Northern California. Surveillance officers observed a man and woman leaving the Diablo residence and entering a vehicle and a Danville Police conducted a vehicle stop.

Lee initially gave a false name, but eventually confessed when asked about his true identity. Fingerprints confirmed his identity. His female companion never knew who he really was, despite 15 years in California. He was taken to the Danville Police Department to register and will be held pending his extradition to Massachusetts.

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