DNA evidence ties convicted rapist to Gresham sex assault: prosecutors

A convicted rapist was ordered held without bail Saturday after DNA evidence linked him to a violent sexual assault last year in the Gresham neighborhood.

Darrell Wright, 62, of Dolton, faces a felony count of aggravated criminal sexual assault in the attack, which happened Feb. 18, 2018 when Wright asked a 54-year-old woman to help him clean an apartment he was rehabbing in the 1700 block of West 80th Street, according to Cook County prosecutors and court records.

After briefly leaving the apartment, Wright and the woman returned about 2 a.m. to search for his missing bus pass, prosecutors said. That’s when Wright allegedly grabbed the woman, punched her in the face and started choking her while threatening to “take her breath away.”

When she pulled out a box cutter to defend herself, Wright snatched it from her and held it to her neck and face, allegedly saying “B----, I did 18 years. I’ll kill you,” prosecutors said. Then then allegedly sexually assaulted her.

Afterwards, Wright walked the woman to a bus stop and she allegedly recorded him apologizing to for the attack, prosecutors said. She was treated at a hospital for marks on her throat and injuries related to the assault.

DNA evidence collected during her examination linked Wright to the attack, prosecutors said. He was taken into custody Thursday.

Wright, a registered sex offender with multiple felony convictions, was sentenced to 36 years in prison after being convicted of rape and aggravated kidnapping in 1980, prosecutors said. He was also found guilty of criminal sexual abuse in 2006 and sentenced to seven years in prison.

Wright’s assistant public defender, Hussain Khan, said Wright lives with his sister, who stood in the gallery during Sunday’s hearing.

Judge Mary Marubio denied him bail and set his next court date for Monday.