LSUPD spokesperson Lt. Kevin Scott said 19-year-old University student Eseoghene Ovuede was arrested Monday in connection to an on-campus rape reported in late April.
According to the affidavit of probable cause obtained from the East Baton Rouge Parish Sheriff’s Office, on April 23 LSUPD was called to the Baton Rouge Police Department Second District station in reference to a sexual assault that took place at the East Campus Apartments on campus.
Officials said the victim stated she met an unknown male near ECA who walked up the stairs with her and into her apartment, according to police records. The victim then stated that once she had made it into her apartment, the unknown male followed her into her room. It was there that he sexually assaulted her, according to police records. The victim said the attacker then left without saying a word.
She also told police during an interview she had never met the attacker before and did not know his name, according to police records.
Police said DNA samples were taken from the apartment and placed into evidence. Pictures were also taken of the bruises that the suspect left on the victim, according to police records.
During the investigation, police were unable to come up with an identity for the attacker, and the victim became distraught when attempting to speak about the incident, according to police records. Police said after time had passed, the victim no longer wanted to speak about the incident, and the case was closed until new information would be discovered.
On Oct. 22, during the LSU versus Ole Miss football game, the victim contacted and informed LSUPD that she had made contact with the attacker on campus. After meeting with LSUPD, the victim told police she was walking to ECA when he drove up to her and offered her a ride. The victim told police she accepted the ride to try and obtain an identity for the suspect. After taking a picture of the license plate of the vehicle, she got in and drove a short distance with him, according to police records. The victim stated there was not much of a conversation, but she was able to get the suspects cell phone number and the name “Monday,” according to police records.
Through the investigation, LSUPD was able to trace the Texas license plate back to a Monday Ovuede, and the phone number back to a Eseoghene Ovuede. After searching the LSU main database, LSUPD found an Eseoghene Ovuede and a Mudiaga Ovuede. However, due to an oversight by LSUPD, it was believed Eseoghene Ovuede was a female, so a lineup was done with Mudiaga Ovuede instead, according to police records.
After the police lineup and further reviewing the database, it was determined that Eseoghene Ovuede was in fact a male.
On Oct. 25, LSUPD made contact with Ovuede and asked if he would be willing to speak about the incident that took place in April. According to police records, Ovuede stated he had no idea what the officer was speaking of and had never seen the victim prior to giving her a ride on Oct. 22. Ovuede agreed to give a DNA sample and said his DNA would not be in her apartment, according to police records. The sample was taken and sent to the State Police Crime Lab.
Then on Nov. 2, Ovuede went to LSUPD and told officers that he did in fact remember meeting the victim in April and going up into her room, according to police records. Ovuede wrote in a statement that he was approached by the victim near ECA who asked if he had any cocaine. According to police records, Ovuede said he did not and the victim then asked him to come into the victim’s room. Ovuede did not admit to sexually assaulting her and stated the victim wanted to have sex with him, but he declined because he had never had sex before and was scared, according to police records.
A warrant was put out for Ovuede’s arrest on Nov. 9, and on Nov. 14, he was arrested for second-degree rape and booked into East Baton Rouge Parish Prison.