WOBURN, Mass. — A man suspected in the brutal rapes of two women at a clothing store in Massachusetts in 1989 is expected to face a judge on Monday, months after a police chase in Los Angeles ended with his arrest.
Stephen Paul Gale, a 71-year-old once known as the “Boston Strip Mall Rapist,” is slated to be arraigned in Middlesex District Court on charges including four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of armed robbery in connection with an investigation into the gunpoint rape of two women at the Hit or Miss store on Route 9 in Framingham on the morning of Dec. 27, 1989.
- Boston 25 will stream Gale’s arraignment live at 2 p.m.
Gale, armed with a .357 magnum, forced two female employees to the back of the store and allegedly ordered one victim to empty money from a locked safe and the second to lock the doors to the store before sexually assaulting them while holding the firearm to their heads, according to Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan and Framingham Police Chief Lester Baker.
Evidence collected at the scene ultimately helped investigators obtain Gale’s DNA.
In 2022, Middlesex prosecutors and the Framingham police contracted with an outside agency to conduct an investigative genetic genealogy to develop new leads that could help identify a suspect in the cold case. Investigators developed probable cause to identify Gale as a suspect after assessing the results and additional DNA sampling of his family members, according to Ryan and Baker.
In May 2024, the U.S. Marshals Service offered up to a $5,000 reward for information leading to Gale’s arrest.
Boston 25 News spoke with both of the victims about the importance of locating Gale.
“We’re looking forward to closure and having accountability for what he did 34 years ago,” one victim said. The second victim added, “None of this has ever left our lives. This has always been a part of us, and it’s time that this guy is brought to justice and taken off the streets.”
Gale was later captured in August 2024 after leading police on a chase in an SUV for more than an hour.
During the chase, Gale drove at moderate speeds and avoided police PIT maneuvers before hitting a spike strip, according to the U.S. Marshals Service.
News of his capture brought relief in Massachusetts.
Gale had been held in California since his arrest.
This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.
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