Suspect in 25-year-old rape case arraigned

Osvaldo Muniz Osvaldo Muniz Image 1 of / 1 Caption Close Suspect in 25-year-old rape case arraigned 1 / 1 Back to Gallery

NORWALK -- The suspect in a 25-year-old cold case rape had his case transferred to the Part A docket at Stamford Superior Court on Tuesday.

Osvaldo Muniz, 66, of Bridgeport, was arraigned in Norwalk Superior Court on charges of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and first-degree kidnapping. Judge William Wenzel kept Muniz's bond at $500,000 without prejudice, meaning it can be reargued, and transfered the case to the Part A docket, where cases involving high-class felonies are tried. His next court date is Dec. 23.

Public defender Jenna Marshal requested that Muniz's bond be lowered to $10,000, arguing that there "may be statute of limitation issues." Although the state removed the statute of limitations for a sexual assault in 2007, the statute of limitations for the crime was previously five years. Another man arrested for a cold case rape by Norwalk Police in 2009 -- Anthony Draughn -- had his first-degree sexual assault charge dropped after public defender Barry Butler argued that prosecuting him on the charge would violate Draughn's First Amendment protection against legal charges that were enacted after a crime took place. Draughn was convicted of kidnapping and is currently serving nine years in prison.

Police say Muniz gained entry into the home at 129 Wolfpit Ave. in the early morning hours of Aug. 4, 1988, and encountered a 19-year-old woman who had been sleeping in a basement apartment. He then allegedly pressed a butcher knife against her throat and led her outside, telling her "Don't fight. Don't yell."

Muniz then allegedly dragged the victim across the front lawn and the driveway between 129 and 133 Wolfpit Ave. and sexually assaulted her on the front lawn of 133 Wolfpit Ave.

After Muniz left the area, the victim banged on several of her neighbors' doors in an attempt to get someone to call 911 and was able to get help when she reached 173 Wolfpit Ave., police said.

A pair of men's underwear was found at the scene, and police also recovered the suspect's semen from the victim's underwear, according to an affidavit.

Lt. Art Weisgerber resubmitted the semen sample to the state forensic laboratory in August 2013 and was informed in October that the evidence came back as a match for Muniz's DNA. Weisgerber then collected a confirmation DNA swab from Muniz and was recently informed that the confirmation swab matched the evidence left at the 25-year-old crime scene.

Muniz, a career criminal whose record dates back to 1964, had been released from prison on June 3, 1988 after serving a prison term for a May 1980 conviction for first-degree sexual assault and first-degree burglary. Stratford Police arrested Muniz just six days after the sexual assault on charges of assault, carrying a pistol without a permit and criminal trespass. On Aug. 22, 1988, Muniz picked up another assault charge in Bridgeport, and he began serving his next prison term in March 1989.

Prior to his latest arrest, Muniz had been employed as an outreach worker for CASA, Inc., a Bridgeport-based substance abuse treatment center, court documents show.