Man Dubbed “Dreadlock Rapist” Charged in Cold Case Murder

Booker is currently serving time for multiple convictions from 1987

A man, dubbed by police as the “Dreadlock Rapist” behind a series of 1987 sexual assaults, has now been charged with a cold case murder from 1981.

Eugene Booker, 59, is charged with first-degree murder in the stabbing death of a 35-year-old woman in her home in the 5800 block of North Paulina on Oct. 2, 1981, according to Chicago police. Police said Booker was identified through DNA evidence.

According to prosecutors, the victim, Carol Novak, was stabbed multiple times and sexually assaulted in her home. Officials said she was found partially undressed and had been stabbed more than 50 times in her back, right side, neck and right eye. Her dog was also stabbed in the head, the release said.

In 2013, Chicago police reopened the case and sent a "preserved sexual assault evidence recovery kit" for testing and analysis and used DNA recovered at the scene, along with blood found on the victim's jacket, to connect the crime to Booker, according to authorities.

Booker, known as "the dreadlock rapist" for the distinct way he wore his hair during a yearlong crime spree, is currently serving an 80-year sentence for multiple convictions from 1987.

Prosecutors claim Booker selected several of his victims after seeing them on public transit. On Jan. 8, 1987, a woman reported to police that a man fitting Booker's description had followed her to her apartment building in the 400 block of West Fullerton Parkway, officials said. Booker was arrested near the scene and eventually convicted on six counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and one count of aggravated battery.

Booker appeared in bond court Friday and was denied bail. He is scheduled to appear in court again on Dec. 11.

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