An Enumclaw man was arrested June 15 in connection with a 2003 Grays Harbor kidnapping and rape case.

Paul Bieker’s alleged crimes took place 18 years ago in McCleary, Washington, located about 15 miles west of Olympia. Bieker, who is most recently an Enumclaw resident, happened to be back in Grays Harbor at the time of his arrest, said Grays Harbor Undersheriff Brad Johansson.

Deputies began investigating the case in March 2003, after a 17-year-old girl was abducted and sexually assaulted in the McCleary area. She was eventually able to free herself and return to her residence, according to a release by the sheriff’s office.

Investigators collected DNA evidence but could not identify a suspect at the time, according to the sheriff’s office. But in December 2020, the sheriff’s office submitted the DNA evidence to a laboratory for genealogy testing. It revealed a short list of suspects that included Bieker, who they discovered had lived in McCleary in 2003 at a residence not far from the victim.

Deputies surveilled Bieker and obtained his DNA from a discarded item, which was sent to the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab. It was a match for the suspect of the 2003 assault, the sheriff’s office said. Bieker was arrested on June 15.

Deputies are interested in information on both the 2003 assault and another case involving the kidnapping and murder of Lindsey Baum, who went missing June 2009 in McCleary. Her remains were found in 2018 in Kittitas County.

Anyone with information on either case can call the tip line at 360-964-1799 or email baumtips@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.