A man from Rhode Island, Nicholas Rossi, was found guilty in Salt Lake County of raping a former girlfriend in 2008. The verdict came after a three-day trial where the victim and her family testified against him. Rossi, aged 38, chose not to testify and will receive his sentence on 20 October. He has another trial scheduled in September for a separate rape charge in Utah County.
The jury’s decision followed new evidence that emerged when Rossi was linked to the allegations through a DNA sample collected from a decade-old rape kit. This discovery initiated a manhunt for him in Utah after he was charged in 2018. Following the charges, an online obituary falsely claimed that Rossi had died from cancer in February 2020. However, authorities doubted this claim and managed to arrest him in 2021 in Scotland, where hospital staff recognised him due to distinctive tattoos linked to an Interpol notice. In January 2024, he was extradited to Utah.
The trial revealed that Rossi allegedly exploited the vulnerability of the victim, who was recovering from a brain injury at the time they began dating after meeting through an online ad. During their short engagement, he continually pressured her for financial help, which she testified led to his aggression and eventual assault. Rossi’s defence contended that the woman fabricated the allegations out of resentment, while the prosecution emphasised her inability to consent, categorically stating it was not a case of misunderstanding.
Rossi’s legal troubles extend beyond this incident; he is also wanted in Ohio for fraud and has a history of failing to register as a sex offender. His public defender attempted to argue against the rape claims by highlighting that Rossi had the right to alter his identity and relocate, but the prosecution portrayed him as a manipulative individual who took advantage of his previous partner.
Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill expressed gratitude to the survivor for her bravery in coming forward after many years. As the case unfolds, Rossi’s past as a foster child in Rhode Island continues to surface, intertwining with his complex legal history and his attempts to evade accountability for serious allegations against him.