A parish Grand Jury indicted an Alabama man  after DNA allegedly linked him to the 1987 kidnapping and rape of a Lafayette woman in Ascension Parish, according to a report from District Attorney Anthony Falterman.

Billy Joe Patton, 48, 540 Hall Burr Road, Eclectic, Ala., is charged with aggravated kidnapping and forceable rape in the case, Falterman said. Aggravated Kidnapping carries a life sentence and the crime of Forcible Rape carries a minimum of five to a maximum of 40 years with at least two years of the sentence being served without benefit or parole, probation or suspension of sentence.

According to police reports, the alleged incidents occurred around Feb. 8, 1987, as the victim and her male friend were driving on Interstate 10 from Lafayette when their car ran off of the roadway and became stuck. Some time later, Patton allegedly pulled over and offered to drive the male to the next exit while the victim stayed in the car. A short time later, Patton allegedly returned to the victim and advised her that her friend wanted her to lock the door and go with him to a wrecker service to bring cash. The victim got out of her car and then allegedly entered Patton’s car. After Patton supposedly refused to drop her off at any of the exits, she realized something was wrong.

Reports then say that Patton allegedly drove for several hours and repeatedly asked the victim for sex, but she refused. Patton is then believed to have pulled off of I-10 onto a service road where he allegedly forcibly removed the victim’s clothing and raped her, threatening to harm her if she resisted and promised to release her if she cooperated.
The victim then allegedly attempted to flee while Patton was putting his pants back on, but caught her and drug her back to the car. Approximately two miles down the road, the defendant allegedly dropped the victim off at Lone Oak Grocery Store on Hwy. 73 in Prairieville, where she reported the alleged rape.

According to police reports, Patton was also arrested in 2003 in Sulfur Springs, Texas for failing to register as a sex offender for a 1993 sexual battery conviction. At that time, his DNA was taken and placed into the DNA bank.

The Ascension Parish Sheriff’s Department was notified Jan. 9, 2007 of a DNA match through the Louisiana State Police Crime Laboratory. In April 2008, the DNA match was confirmed and an arrest warrant was issued for Patton,  who was incarcerated in Texas at the time.

Patton was arrested at his home in Alabama June 2 after being released from Texas despite a hold being placed. Patton was picked up by authorities in Alabama and waived extradition back to Louisiana.

Twenty-Third Judicial District Judge Ralph Tureau set the defendant’s bond at $1 million on each charge. Patton is currently in the Ascension Parish Jail.
Robin C. O’Bannon presented this case to the Grand Jury on behalf of the state, Falterman said.