Nicholas Rossi, a man accused of faking his own death and fleeing the U.S. to avoid rape charges, will stand trial in Utah after a judge ruled that prosecutors had presented enough evidence to warrant a jury trial. The charges against Rossi include raping a 26-year-old former girlfriend in 2008 in Salt Lake County, as well as raping a 21-year-old woman in Orem, Utah the same year. Rossi had not been identified as a suspect for about a decade due to a backlog of DNA test kits at the Utah State Crime Lab.
Rossi, whose legal name is Nicholas Alahverdian, has used several aliases and claimed to be an Irish orphan named Arthur Knight who had never been to the U.S. He grew up in foster homes in Rhode Island and had returned to the state before supposedly faking his death and fleeing the country. An obituary published online in 2020 claimed that Rossi had died of late-stage non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but authorities and his former foster family doubted his death. He was eventually arrested in Scotland in 2021 after being recognized at a Glasgow hospital while receiving treatment for COVID-19.
During Rossi’s preliminary hearing, District Judge Barry Lawrence ruled that there was enough evidence for him to stand trial. The hearing was livestreamed in Salt Lake City, but Rossi’s attorneys at the Salt Lake Legal Defender Association did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Associated Press. Rossi has maintained his innocence throughout the legal proceedings, claiming that he was being framed for the alleged rapes. Despite his protests, the judge’s ruling means that Rossi will face a jury trial to answer the charges against him.
The extradition appeal filed by Rossi in Scotland was unsuccessful, leading to his eventual return to the U.S. to face trial. His arrest in Scotland came after he was recognized at a hospital in Glasgow while being treated for COVID-19. The extradition proceedings were complicated by Rossi’s use of multiple aliases and claims of being an Irish orphan. Despite his attempts to avoid facing the charges, Rossi will now have to defend himself in court against the allegations of rape that have been made against him by two women from Utah in 2008.
The case against Rossi highlights the challenges in cases of sexual assault and the importance of timely DNA testing in identifying suspects. The backlog of DNA test kits at the Utah State Crime Lab prevented Rossi from being identified as a suspect for about a decade, allowing him to evade justice for his alleged crimes. The resilience of law enforcement and authorities in pursuing Rossi across international borders demonstrates the determination to hold him accountable for the serious charges he is facing. As the trial proceeds, more details of the case are likely to emerge, shedding light on the circumstances surrounding Rossi’s alleged crimes and his attempt to evade capture.
