Bloodline Detectives - Episode 19 - Walking Nightmare | Forensic Files

Tonight, a 14-year-old girl raped in the UK in broad daylight. She's on her way home from school
when the nightmare begins. It's 1986, Halling, Kent, a town in England, a teenage girl's the victim of a determined and brutal sex
attack. The minute he stood in front of me when I stepped to the side, I knew something was wrong.
I knew something was going to happen. But I wasn't sure what. I can remember just saying to him please don't hurt me,
you know. Don't kill me. I won't tell anyone. I promise I won't tell the police.
15 minutes lasted a lifetime. I've just been raped. NANCY GRACE: The investigation for British investigators
is challenging from the start. We didn't have key witnesses. We didn't have anyone who witnessed the attack
or someone running away. We didn't have a vehicle or registration number or a phone
or CCTV that we have. NANCY GRACE: With the attacker still out there, the community and the victim remain in fear.
Every step of my life, every day, I would look for him. And it got to the point where I didn't know who
I was looking for in the end. It's always that concern that if you've had one stranger attack like this there could be another.
NANCY GRACE: That fear becomes a reality when five years later, the rapist strikes again.
At that stage, we have these two horrific attacks are linked and the potential that they could
go on to commit more offenses. The older I got, I think I did become quite bitter
because he wasn't caught. Nobody would ever good enough for me or I wasn't good enough for them,
and I was getting rejected all the time. So I would have to have counseling to just
try and get through life. NANCY GRACE: But investigators refused to give up. It was never forgotten.
It was a case that has had a lot of work done on it over a number of years. They couldn't accept and would not accept that we couldn't
bring resolution to it. NANCY GRACE: And when new forensic technology emerges, police hone in on their man.
This individual went from just inside the top 100 to the most interesting person.
NANCY GRACE: This is the story of a double rapist, his victims, and his capture 27 years later.
It's a story of how a cold case is finally solved and how the revolutionary new science of familial DNA
delivers a major break for investigators. I'm Nancy Grace, and this is "Bloodline Detectives."
[THEME MUSIC PLAYING] January 8, 1986, the quiet British town of Halling. Police got a call reporting a rape.
The victim is a local teen girl, Victoria Bacon. GAVIN MOSS: Victoria was 14-year-old schoolgirl.
She was partially deaf, which, you know, any rape is an awful ordeal, but this was
a targeted vulnerable victim. NANCY GRACE: Victoria is on her way home from school.
VICTORIA BACON: It was three of us coming on the train. So I had a friend that got off at one stop
and I got off at the next one and then she got off the one following. NANCY GRACE: It's a cold, dark January afternoon.
Victoria's taken a shortcut through a wooded area. VICTORIA BACON: Got to the bottom of the footpath
once I've gone off the main road, and then you had these steps. Then you had a bridge.
So I'd gone across the bridge, and in that section across the bridge, there were stray cats.
So you would often hear them rumbling around in the bushes and think like that. So I heard the noise, and I thought it was a cat.
So I turned around, and I saw this man walking-- running across the beach. He had camouflage trousers on and a light blue jumper.
And I thought, oh, he's training for the army. Didn't think nothing of it. Never gave it another thought.
So I just carried on walking. NANCY GRACE: As the man gets closer, Victoria knows something's not right.
VICTORIA BACON: I stepped to one side to let him by. And he come up, and he just stopped in front of me.
The minute you stood in front of me when I stepped to that side, I knew something was wrong.
I knew something was going to happen. But I wasn't sure what. I didn't think I was going to be raped.
I didn't think that for a minute, then I realized what he wanted to do. NANCY GRACE: As she pleads for her life,
Victoria's forced onto the ground. VICTORIA BACON: I can remember just saying to him
please don't hurt me, you know. Don't kill me. I won't tell anyone. I promise I won't tell the police.
I knew I was making a promise I couldn't keep. I knew that. When somebody is trying to ruin your life,
you're not looking at that. You're looking at the fact that you're trying to save your own life, so you're going to say anything
to make it easier for yourself. 15 minutes lasted a lifetime. And then when he finished, he gave me a kiss on the cheek
and said thanks very much. He jumped up, pulled his trousers up, and walked off.
And I was like, oh wow, I've just been raped. NANCY GRACE: Although she's in shock,
Victoria knows she needs to get help as quickly as she can. From there, she ran to her home address,
reported the matter to her stepfather, who contacted the police, and then the police
arrived some 20 minutes later. NANCY GRACE: Victoria's mother was at work when she gets the terrible news.
VICTORIA BACON: My mom was working in Maidstone, and it normally takes about 20 to 40 minutes to get home.
And no word of a lie, she was home in 10 minutes, 10 minutes. I was so pleased to see her.
And she just threw herself at me and just put her arm around me and she never let go.
Just try and put yourself there and think of the shock from those that love and care for her that
are hearing this happening. How do they actually react to that? How do they cope with that?
And, of course, they cope with resilience. And now the first thing to do, of course,
is to get the police investigators to the scene to then to try and give them some support,
but also, of course, the key element is to find out who did this. GAVIN MOSS: The sergeant attended together
with a female officer and then spoke to the victim and then tried to identify exactly where the scene took
place because that would have been forensic opportunities but also to understand what had happened, where it happened,
and then as a result of that crime scene investigators attended the scene where they conducted their examination.
And then what's in the surrounding area? Have you got any fast track actions that you can undertake to try and quickly capture whatever
evidence you've got at that particular time because it's a moving feat. You need to respond quickly to gather what you can quickly.
VICTORIA BACON: The house was just chocker with police detective, and to be honest, I was just blanked out.
I just went along with the flow, you know. And I think being hard of hearing, you know,
I couldn't hear what that police officer was saying to that one or what he was saying to her.
And then I was taken into the police car to usher to police station. NANCY GRACE: At the station, Victoria
gives a statement including all the details of the vicious attack. De-stressing though it was, even at that age,
she had a strength of character to be able to give us that sort of information. So you had a physical descriptions, clothing
descriptions, key areas for an investigator, especially when you don't necessarily
have CCTV, mobile phone evidence, you know, certainly in this case no witnesses.
So you've got to try and draw out as much as you can, and that's something very difficult
when someone's been through that sort of trauma. But what a strong character to be able at that age to give
that sort of information. ROBERT VINSON: Victoria's able to describe him as 20 to 26
years of age. She said it was about 5 feet 10 in height, very chubby build, and he was wearing army style trousers, which were baggy.
She also said that he was wearing boots as well. So at the time, this software and computer programs
that we might be able to use now, 'course, weren't in existence that time. This is sitting in front of somebody
who is trained to try and draw out that physical description and put it on paper in a format that then we can then
use to potentially use for a-- to try and to identify who is-- has carried out this attack.
Now the build, the clothing it's being worn, the facial features, and she's given a good description that's
been captured by the look of it as well as could have been at the time, and that was something that certainly they
can use and in terms of lines of inquiry to put this description out. NANCY GRACE: The investigation is just beginning,
but from the description Victoria gives in her statement to police, they feel they now have
a preliminary picture of the suspect they're looking for. But will that be enough to lead them
to the man in camouflage pants? That's next on "Bloodline Detectives." January 1986, police in Kent, England
began an investigation into the rape of a teen, Victoria Bacon, attacked on her way home from school.
So who is Victoria Bacon? We were big family anyway, so we always at parties and functions.
And my mom used to play darts, so I used to get taken down to the club, and then we were the ones
to sit the car with a bottle of Coke and a bag of quip if we were good, you know.
So, yeah, it was mainly cricket season, and we-- me and my friend used to just entertain
ourselves or help out making the tea or thing like that. So in the village, we didn't do anything because there
wasn't anything to do. So I used to just jump on the join and go meet up with my mates in town into Chapman.
Go to the Pentagon, go window shopping, things like that. NANCY GRACE: Police have a description of the man
for whom they're looking. The nature of the incident sends shockwaves across the community, everyone fearful he may strike again.
GAVIN MOSS: This is a lone 14-year-old victim who's walking home along an alleyway.
I can only imagine that he's seen her walking into the alleyway or seen her walking from the train station
and seen his opportunity to be subject her to that awful ordeal. KEITH HUNT: I think it obviously shakes
the community up quite a lot. Vulnerable women and young girls sort of being out on their own
like that and then there's a rapist at large, it's terrifying for the area I should think.
NANCY GRACE: Armed with that description detectives began their inquiries throughout the local area.
We were heavily reliant on the public. It was about trying to identify people who saw her
on the way home, anybody who might have seen the person responsible. NANCY GRACE: It's no surprise to police the public
responds the way they do. ROBERT VINSON: The picture is widely circulated. It would also be used on some of the media outlets
that we use, so for "Police 5" and for Crime Watch, just to try and prompt something from members of the public.
GAVIN MOSS: So lots of names came forward of possibilities of people who did match the description,
and inquiries were done at the time to establish if those people were responsible or not.
And they were looking at alibis and various other aspects. NANCY GRACE: As part of the investigation,
Victoria undergoes an examination to obtain forensic material. VICTORIA BACON: I suppose the hospital
was more dramatic than actually giving the statement. That was more dramatic. It was like reliving the whole thing again.
But it was all women in there, and, you know, they were very good. My mom was very good to help mind all the way through it.
NANCY GRACE: The examination uncovers DNA on Victoria's underwear. In 1986, however, a forensic sample of this sort
has limited value. GAVIN MOSS: Unfortunately at that time, DNA was very, very much in its infancy
and didn't form part of any criminal investigation as such. All they were able to do is to get a blood grouping,
and then that's where, in those days, they would compare people whose names were put forward
and take a blood sample from them and [INAUDIBLE] that similar blood group into the sample that was taken from the DNA.
As attempts to track down the rapist go on, Victoria is rightfully fearful he could find her again.
He remains in her mind for years after the rape. VICTORIA BACON: Now forever looking
for him on the train and the train station where it was busy, looking around for him.
And I did that 20 years. Every step of my life, every day, I would look for him,
and it got to the point where I didn't know who was looking for in the end. You know, I'd forgotten what he looked like.
NANCY GRACE: Life in the aftermath of the attack has a huge impact on Victoria and her family.
VICTORIA BACON: It had a knock on effect to everybody, not just me, everybody. It split my mom and my stepfather up.
It got to the stage where I couldn't stay in the house anymore. I couldn't stay there anymore because I couldn't
walk up the footpath anymore. So I moved in with my sister, and we lived in the next village alone, which is a bit more
livelier than where I been. So, you know, I wasn't in an isolated village where,
you know, I was forever looking over my shoulder see where he was, you know. So I think for the next--
until I finished school really, for the next two or three years, life was just blind.
I don't really remember much. It was just so blind. NANCY GRACE: But as the years pass,
detectives know a rapist is still on the loose, and they're concerned he may strike again.
GAVIN MOSS: We know nationally there's been cases where multiple rapes have happened where victims had
been subjected to those awful ordeals, and any senior investigating officer will
have that uppermost in their mind and do their utmost to try and find who's responsible
as soon as they possibly can. On Thursday, the 6th of June, 1991, a victim was in the area of the A20 which is in Ryton.
She'd parked her car. She was a nature conservationist, and she went to the area of Ryton to survey the land,
an area called Coopers Wood. She went to that particular area, and while she was there,
she was aware of a male who would walk past her. She said hello to him, he said hello back,
and then he went out of the way for a little while. And then she was aware that he'd returned.
Again, he looked at her, and then she became very nervous by his presence. He then went to approach her.
She told him to get away. She went-- she used her mobile telephone. He grabbed hold of the mobile telephone
and then threw it away. And then he attacked her and subjected her to an awful ordeal and raped her.
NANCY GRACE: And with the victim gives the description of her attacker to police,
it sounds very familiar. This victim, she describes the person responsible as a white male, 5 feet 10, 6 foot tall,
chubby build. He again was wearing what she describes as black army trousers and training
shoes and a light gray top. NANCY GRACE: Now with advancements in forensic technology that have occurred
over the past five years, scientists are able to obtain a full DNA sample. This is the lead detectives had been waiting for.
Our challenge was they were not on the national DNA database. NANCY GRACE: Investigators now have two rapes in the same area
five years apart. Were they committed by the same man? Police are stuck with insufficient DNA
from the first crime and no match on the national database for the second crime.
It will take another development in forensic science technology for bloodline detectives
to close in on a dangerous criminal. 1996, Kent, England police struggle with an investigation
of two vicious rapes, which they believe were carried out by the same man. Forensic evidence fails to move the investigation forward.
The case goes cold. VICTORIA BACON: I remember them saying that, you know, the case is open to not being closed but, you know,
scaled down, you know, because they obviously couldn't find him. I suppose really I just learned to accept it and thought,
well, I'll just get on with it then. You know, I did have some down days. Don't get me wrong.
You know, I did have that upset days like-- especially like on the anniversary when it happened every year.
I think the first two or three years, I used to go back and just down to the bottom of the step
and just look up. I would sort of think about it, and then come quarter five, right, I said fine.
Let's go. Move on. ROBERT VINSON: The impact it must have on someone looking over their shoulder,
now is this person still around. Am I going to suddenly see them? When we talk about the effect and the impact,
this is the human element to it. Isn't a short term. This is a long lasting, and it must
have been challenging over a long period of time for all involved in it. VICTORIA BACON: The older I got, I
think I did become quite bitter because he wasn't caught, so I would have to have counseling to just
try and get through life. NANCY GRACE: But detectives on the case are not giving up.
GAVIN MOSS: I think really that, you know, there's always that determination to seek justice
for those victims because both victims were subjected to an awful ordeal. And you want to do your very best for those victims.
So in 2006, 2007, the forensic science service were undertaking a review of all undetected sexual offenses
with DNA evidence have been found, and they were comparing those cases. ROBERT VINSON: At that stage, we didn't
have a match because we had a-- we had profiling that was done from 1986 but not a DNA sample.
That needed to be reworked in terms of the forensics. So between '86 and what was in 2006, massive changes.
So reworking the forensics in 1986 then provided a DNA sample. That then gets loaded onto the National DNA Database,
and automatically if it's the same as something that is already on there, another sample,
then it's matched. NANCY GRACE: And when the sample from the 1986 rape, Victoria Bacon's, reworked and put into the DNA database,
it gives them the match they've been hoping for. GAVIN MOSS: They were able to satisfy themselves
that the offense committed in 1986, the same offender was responsible for the crime committed in 1991.
At that stage, when we have these two horrific attacks are linked but five years apart nothing before,
nothing afterwards, unusual, very, very unusual. But what you did have was somebody who's
committed two attacks on vulnerable young people out in rural areas. And the potential that they could
go on to commit more offenses was significant at that stage. We just-- we knew that we again needed to reinvest in that
investigation and to do everything that we physically can to try and find who did that not only for--
to stop them offending again but to bring justice. Bring-- trying to bring some resolution
to people who had gone through such horrific events. NANCY GRACE: The case is fully reopened in 2007.
GAVIN MOSS: I always-- when I look at older cases, I want to try and understand those cases.
I want to try and understand what evidence we had then what we didn't have and to understand the case.
So it's really a case if you have to read through all of the evidence that you've got, all of the statements that have
been obtained, you have a whole team of officers around you who can support you with that, and they
look at various different aspects as well. As part of the new investigation, detectives go to speak with Victoria.
She's started a new life in Wales. So they came in. My father gave us the lounge.
My mom came flying down to see what was going on. And they said that they had reason
to believe they were getting close to catching the rapist, and I was like really.
So I was shocked. I was really shocked. I needed a drink, needed a cigarette. They wanted me to go through the statements again, which I did.
And apparently I said it was really quite tall. I said he weren't that tall. And they said, well, how tall was he then.
I said he was just a short fat jolt ass, you know. He wasn't at all. And I think when you're 14, everybody looks so much bigger,
doesn't they. So we changed that and then off they went. NANCY GRACE: The team also starts
looking at newly available investigative options. ROBERT VINSON: So from a DNA perspective,
the options got available are that they're not on the database. But could a family member be on the database.
So we would-- we certainly in 2007 started looking towards the use of familial DNA.
So, though, whoever carried out these attacks isn't on the database, somebody from the immediate family
of the person who did may be on the database. Familial DNA had never been used in Kent before
as part of our investigations. I attended a meeting with the forensic science service who were able to explain the concept.
NANCY GRACE: The team knows the analysis will not be simple, and it will be time consuming.
ROBERT VINSON: It's a slow and painful process, but it's a potential. It's something that might open up an investigation,
and that's what was carried out in 2007 and subsequently over a period of time trying
to look at the DNA database and anyone with some genetic similarities that there
may be somebody linked to somebody that is actually on there. The problem is that what we've done,
but it didn't reveal anything. NANCY GRACE: Even though bloodline detectives now
possess any forensic weapons, they are for the moment frustrated again. But as we see next, the weapons they have
and their sheer determination will lead them to the man they're hunting. 2007, Kent, England investigators
reopen two rape cases that occurred five years apart beginning in 1986. 21 years later, police are convinced the same man
committed both rapes. It was never forgotten. It was a case that has had a lot of work done
on it over a number of years. Certainly from investigators within that team in the cold case, some of them had
worked on this case, worked on this case over a number of years. They weren't done with it.
They couldn't accept and would not accept that we couldn't bring resolution to it.
So we went again. Stop, reassess, start again. Start again, rework the case, and let's just see--
let's just see if we can open it. In 2012, let's start again on this investigation.
Let's look at what we do have in this inquiry. What evidence do we actually have?
Is there any other potential forensic evidence that we could get? And let's rework the familial DNA.
Let's go down that route again because there are thousands going to the database every year.
NANCY GRACE: The detectives bring a behavioral investigative advisor on board. ADAM GREGORY: So we have two victims in this case.
We have crimes five or six years apart, and yet the offense locations are very close.
So that tells you that there's probably some real kind of geographic roots here for the offender.
The hope would be that family members are also in a similar geography, and alongside that we're reasonably
competent at predicting the most likely age of perpetrators based on the behavior that's exhibited
and any age estimations that are provided by the victims of the offenses. So we have two victims in this case, two sets of age
estimations to draw upon. If we can come up with an accurate prediction of the likely age of the offender,
we can use nationally available statistics to make inferences about how old are his relatives most
likely to be. If he's aged somewhere in his 30s, for example, his brothers and sisters are also likely to be
somewhere in their 30s. They might be still late 20s. They might be in their 40s.
Conversely, if we're looking for parents or we're looking for children, then we'd
expect that they would be 20 or 30 years older or younger than the age that we're
predicting for the offender. Taking all these theories into account, they now manage to drastically reduce the number
of people on their list. ADAM GREGORY: When we added a composite likelihood ratio
methodology to this problem, we were able to shift someone that was originally at number 94 I believe on the list
to literally number 1. So in adding the geography and adding the age, this individual went from just inside the top 100
to the most interesting person. NANCY GRACE: This person was David Phipps. His DNA is on the database, the result of another arrest.
And although David Phipps was not even born at the time of the first rape, the probability
his DNA profiles not related to the attacker is 1 in 1 billion. The focus of the team moves into looking at his family,
looking at the person who is on the DNA database. From an age range, what it would suggest
is we should be looking at parent. We should be looking at the father. And that's where we started focusing.
Then you look at where they live, some of their history and the background, and you try and obtain
some physical description of them both from '86 and '91 and now and try and get the feel for could this be the person involved in this crime.
GAVIN MOSS: We're able to find about where he was living at the time, what his employment was, and so on and so forth so
to build a profile of that individual, which was then sufficient for us to say we believe
this person is responsible. NANCY GRACE: Almost a quarter of a century after the rape of teen girl Victoria
Bacon, the bloodline detectives began to close in on their man. They have a name thanks to groundbreaking
forensic techniques. The question now is can they close the case and bring the suspect to justice.
By 2012, detectives in Kent believe they're getting close to capturing a rapist who attacks
a teen girl Victoria Bacon in 1986 and another woman five years after. Despite being repeatedly disappointed
by forensic analysis, they now believe new familial DNA technology identifies a significant suspect.
His name, Ian Phipps. ROBERT VINSON: Ian Phipps, interesting character-- family man, somebody who worked locally.
When you start looking at the history, you think some of his work history sort of resonates
with some of the information we knew from some of the descriptions. NANCY GRACE: Phipps was in the British army, something
that could explain the combat trousers both victims identified. Physical description just looked--
just looked right. It looked right from 1986. It looked right from 1991. So as an individual, he became of significant interest to us.
We were able to research him. We were able to build an intelligence profile on him
to have a better understanding of where he lived, where he worked, and what criminality he'd
previously been involved in. He'd never been arrested before-- post-1995, which is when we were routinely taking
DNA for recordable offenses. And that's one reason why he was not on the National DNA Database.
So all of his convictions that he had were prior to that date, hence why we had to go through the familial DNA route.
NANCY GRACE: But the team still needs proof Phipps is the man responsible for the attacks,
and there's only one way to get it. ROBERT VINSON: And the bottom line on this, we are not going
to know until we get his DNA. That's the bottom line on it. Is that something we should try and do
voluntarily and knock on the door or we should do in a different way? In this case, decision was actually
from everything we've seen, we need some control over him. We've got enough to go on.
Let's arrest him. So in the very early hours of Tuesday the 16th of October, 2012, myself and a colleague and other officers
attended the home address of Ian Phipps where he was arrested for the rape of both victims.
NANCY GRACE: Ian Phipps denies any involvement. ROBERT VINSON: From the beginning, wasn't me.
Must be a mistake. Don't know. Don't know anything about it. He comes into custody.
We carry out some searches, and then we find some interesting things. So you think you find some photographs of this individual
from 1986 and from around 1991. And in that photograph, he's wearing combat trousers.
And then you sort of look at the E-FIT, the image that was done back in '86 and you look at this
and you go that is really similar. That is really similar. NANCY GRACE: Getting Phipps' DNA sample now becomes a priority.
GAVIN MOSS: Once he was arrested, he was conveyed to Midway Police Station where a sample was
taken from him, and that sample was then conveyed as a priority to the laboratory.
And then you get the phone call. You get a phone call from the scientist at the lab
to say we've got the DNA sample. We've processed it. This is an exact match from the crime scene
that you're investigating. This is the person. We've caught him. It's just, you know, an amazing experience because you
know those victims after so many years are going to get the justice they really do deserve.
NANCY GRACE: 2012, Victoria Bacon gets the call she's been waiting on since she was 14 years old.
VICTORIA BACON: 27 years and you've got him. They said yeah. and I just screamed the house down.
I was so pleased. And then my mom said what's the matter. What's the matter. My dad came through.
What's the matter? I said they caught him. They finally caught him after all these years.
My whole body was shaking to think that, you know, after all these years of looking for him
and waiting for him to be caught, they got him over his son's DNA. And I was so thankful for that son,
you know, I can't tell you-- I can't describe how I felt. NANCY GRACE: But Ian Phipps continues to deny
involvement in either case. ROBERT VINSON: Even when you present the DNA evidence--
it's you, this is you, this is the DNA evidence, it's conclusive-- still maintained it's a mistake.
It wasn't me. And the thing about that is that doesn't help those that he's attacked.
That just shows no respect for those that he's done this to. This isn't accepting any responsibility.
And even as you go through and even as you then work towards a potential court hearing, a trial,
this is somebody that was maintaining that they didn't do it. And that meant that you still had that trauma
for those involved that they might have to then go and give evidence. And it was only at the last minute
when faced with the overwhelming evidence that he then changed his plea and went guilty.
NANCY GRACE: Ian Phipps appears first citizen in April 2013. Victoria Bacon is also in court.
KEITH HUNT: I remember looking around and seeing Victoria with some police officers who were obviously
looking after her at the time. She was sitting in the well of the court, but she would have had a clear view of the dock
where Phipps was sitting. I was just stared at him. I absolutely stared at him. I wanted him to feel uncomfortable.
I did have some friends with me as well and my mother. And my mom was holding my hand.
I can remember saying to her he's a short ass. But look him, mom. Just look at him, you know.
And I just couldn't believe the pitiful man that was sitting there. And it's-- I don't think he showed any shame.
He didn't put his head down or anything like that. He just sat there and looked at the judge.
Wouldn't look at me at all. And there was no one on that side of the court. There was no one from his family to be there to support him.
It was all empty, you know, and I just said. I wasn't even listening to the judge or the solicitor.
I was just staring at him. I just couldn't get him out of mind because I thought I can't believe he should because I've
been looking for you and you are not at all the bloke I was looking for. NANCY GRACE: It's also a significant moment
for the team who worked across 27 years on the case. GAVIN MOSS: There was several of us
who were in the court at the time because we all wanted to see that justice. We'd worked on this for a number of years,
and you want to do your utmost to detect that crime. And it's lived with us as well, and, you know,
you want to do your very best and part of that for the conclusion for us is to see him getting convicted.
KEITH HUNT: Passing sentence, Judge MacDonald told Phipps that these were wicked crimes that he
committed and questioned whether there was any remorse. He actually posed the question do
I find any remorse and the follow that up by saying, well, the fact that he only pleaded
guilty after he was faced with such overwhelming DNA evidence that he admitted his guilt, so he
found there was no remorse even though Phipps had pleaded guilty. NANCY GRACE: Ian Phipps is sentenced
to 15 years in prison. GAVIN MOSS: And so everybody just took great delight in seeing him sentenced, but seeing Victoria
there and seeing her get her justice that she deserved and for the other victim who chose not to come,
it was very important for us to see that. And there was this whole team of people
sitting around me and my mom. And each and every one of them has something to do with my case, and I was so overwhelmed by it.
They were so excited and so happy that they've caught this arrogant man. Yeah, I was like, whoa, you know, this is me
it happened to. And yet you lot are more excited than I am. But it didn't matter, you know.
It was like a family get together, so I've known them for years. It was great. NANCY GRACE: The case is finally resolved.
The man responsible is put behind bars. ROBERT VINSON: He wasn't in the database.
He wasn't involved in the investigation. It wasn't a name that we knew about. This case was broken for the use of familial DNA.
VICTORIA BACON: Once you've left a DNA print or swab whatever, you know, there's no hiding no more.
You know, I waited 27 years, but it was well worth the wait. Well worth the wait for the DNA, you know.
It's marvelous what they've done. And I can't thank the cold case team enough. For what they done and persistently worked
with that DNA because if it hadn't been for that, he would never have been caught.
Never. ROBERT VINSON: If you have done-- committed these sort of crimes, the reality
is you should not rest in your bed at night because I am hoping that door knock is going to come
to your house and the police are going to be standing there and you will wind up in prison.
NANCY GRACE: Follow the science. It's a phrase we hear so often today, and there's no hiding from DNA evidence.
For bloodline detectives, these are codes they live by, codes that after 27 years allow a woman named Victoria Bacon
to get closure She has so desperately wanted since she was a 14-year-old school girl.
I'm Nancy Grace. Thank you for being with us for "Bloodline Detectives." [THEME MUSIC PLAYING]

Brief Summary

Victoria Bacon's 1986 rape case is solved 27 years later through familial DNA, leading to the arrest of Ian Phipps.

Key points

A Brutal Attack. A 14-year-old girl is raped in broad daylight while walking home from school.
The Investigation Begins. Police face challenges in the investigation due to lack of witnesses and evidence.
The Rapist Strikes Again. Five years later, the rapist attacks again, linking two horrific cases.
New Forensic Technology. Advancements in forensic science lead to a breakthrough in the cold case.
A Shocking Revelation. The investigation reopens as detectives believe they are close to catching the rapist.
The Breakthrough Arrest. After 27 years, detectives finally arrest Ian Phipps, a significant suspect in the case.

Episode highlights

Episode quotes

15 minutes lasted a lifetime.

Victoria Bacon reflects on her traumatic experience.

0:54WatchApr 1, 2021

Tension

85/ 100High tension

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