DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. — A man linked by DNA to at least nine rape cases across metro Atlanta was sentenced to three life sentences without the possibility of parole on Friday.
Wesley Cooley received the sentence in DeKalb County after entering a blind plea for the rapes of four women.
The assaults Cooley admitted to in DeKalb County occurred between 2012 and 2017. Prosecutors stated that the victims in those cases ranged in age from 16 to 26.
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Evidence from the Georgia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative helped investigators link Cooley to the crimes.
During the proceedings, Cooley admitted to targeting women who were alone and offering them rides before assaulting them.
While Cooley admitted to four cases in DeKalb County, prosecutors stated in court that his DNA has been linked to at least five additional cases in the region.
Investigators reached the sentencing through the work of the Georgia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative, also known as GA-SAKI.
Officials noted that when Cooley first began assaulting women, his DNA was not present in the law enforcement system. The task force eventually matched the evidence to Cooley, leading to the charges and his eventual plea.
The legal case faced significant delays over the past several years. The matter was originally scheduled to go before a jury trial in 2020. However, the COVID-19 pandemic delayed court proceedings indefinitely and that trial never took place.
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Two of the victims, who were assaulted when they were teenagers, provided testimony in court Friday. Some of the women affected by the assaults stated they did not believe they would ever see the day Cooley was sentenced. One victim stated that Cooley should never be able to commit such crimes again.
DeKalb County District Attorney Sherry Boston held a news conference within an hour of the judge’s sentencing. Boston emphasized the importance of following cases through to completion, regardless of the timeline.
“No matter how much time has passed...you will be brought to justice,” Boston said regarding the resolution of the case.
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