OH- Coroner: Suspected Rapist Died From Gunshot Wounds

7-10-2009 Ohio:

COLUMBUS, Ohio — A suspected serial rapist from Los Angeles died after being shot several times by police officers along Interstate 70 earlier this week, the Fairfield County Coroner ruled Thursday.

According to the coroner, Abram Bynum died after suffering gunshot wounds to his head, trunk and extremities, 10TV's Lindsey Seavert reported.

The autopsy was performed in Fairfield County because Bynum, 35, died along a stretch of freeway there.

Six officers opened fire on Bynum, 35, as they approached his wrecked Cadillac on I-70, near state Route 256, on Tuesday afternoon. Bynum crashed the car into a tanker truck as he attempted to elude police in a chase that began earlier in the day on the city's east side.

Authorities have yet to say whether or not Bynum had a weapon with him, but police said at some point the officers approaching the car feared for their lives, Seavert reported.

The coroner said Bynum only suffered minor injuries in the crash.

Bynum was suspected in at least five sexual assaults in Los Angeles County.

According to detectives, DNA evidence had linked Bynum to five sexual assaults that occurred in Los Angeles County between 2004 and 2007, 10TV News reported.

Prosecutors in California had filed 19 charges against Bynum in connection with the crimes.

Before Tuesday's pursuit, Columbus police were conducting surveillance on Bynum at the request of California authorities.

Investigators are looking into the possibility that Bynum was involved in similar crimes in Columbus, 10TV News reported.

"I'd say probably six to eight cases in Columbus," said Columbus police Commander Michael Manley.

Manley said he suspects Bynum attacked women on the city's northeast side, snatching them off the street, forcing them into his car and beating and raping them.

"When we got the info from L.A. on their cases and we talked about it and said let's go back and look, and that series was strikingly similar, I mean almost exact," Manley said.

Investigators planned to reopen those cases.

"We're going to have to find the victims again," Manley said. "It may not be that easy. And you're going to handle it like a fresh case." ..Source.. by 10TV News