DNA links suspected serial rapist to sexual assaults spanning 3 decades as survivors are urged to come forward: DA
By Cody Alcorn
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DOUGLASVILLE, Georgia (WXIA) — Survivors are calling him the “West Georgia Monster.”
Douglas County District Attorney Dalia Racine confirmed Tuesday that DNA has linked Bobby Lee Hart Jr. to sexual assault cases spanning more than three decades.
Hart was arrested Aug. 9 and charged with three counts of rape. On Aug. 29, he was charged with a fourth rape.
Warrants show all were separate rapes, within a mile of one another in Douglasville. They happened between 2012 and 2024.
8/20/2012 at 5837 Stewart Parkway 9/19/2012 at 8242 Durelee Lane 8/11/2022 at 8501 Hospital Drive 11/14/2024 at 7500 Douglas Boulevard in this back of Hart’s semi-truck
“Since Hart’s arrest, further testing and investigation revealed that Hart is a suspect in multiple sexual assaults dating back to the 1990s in the west Georgia region,” Racine said during a news conference on Tuesday.
She added that a national database helped connect Hart to the older cases.
“Some of these developments came from CODIS hits which means DNA evidence of older sexual assault cases that have matched to the suspect’s DNA,” Racine said.
Standing alongside a team of investigators and prosecutors, Racine said she knows how difficult it will be for survivors to relive the trauma.
“When you talk about someone who was perhaps victimized decades ago who tries to bury it, who tries to not think about it, it can be very traumatizing for these things to come back up,” she said.
Racine released five photos of Hart from different years, including his recent mug shot, hoping potential survivors will recognize him.
“If they did know him, they may recognize him as he appeared at different points in time,” she said.
She also shared the aliases Hart has allegedly used: Maurice, Robert, Kevin, Champ, Meat and King.
Racine said her office is ready to support survivors who choose to come forward.
“Disclosing a sexual assault is probably one of the most difficult decisions a survivor can make. Because once they come forward, they are put into this process and it can be grueling, I’m not going to lie. But what we can do is assure them we can give them support, the resources and stand with them as they go through this process,” Racine said.
Racine did not answer questions about how Hart managed to avoid law enforcement for so long.
She said her focus now is on building the case against him and giving survivors a voice.
Hart is expected back in court next week.
Victims or those with information are being asked to contact the Douglas County District Attorney’s Office at 770-920-7292 or email da@douglascountyga.gov or reach out to your local law enforcement agency.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, help is available. Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit rainn.org to connect with a trained advocate.
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