It was the one that got away that did him in.
When a Queens college student wriggled free last year from Imette St. Guillen’s accused killer, Darryl Littlejohn, she took with her a pair of handcuffs smudged with his DNA. The genetic match allowed prosecutors to charge him yesterday in the case.
“She took crucial evidence with her, of course. That was the DNA,” Police Commissioner Ray Kelly said after Littlejohn was arraigned on charges of kidnapping, assault, robbery and criminal impersonation in Queens. Kelly praised the woman for maintaining enough poise to get away from her attacker and deliver the evidence to cops.
“You can just imagine the fear that this young woman experienced, walking home from school, on an October afternoon. But her reaction was even more impressive. She showed great courage, she showed great calm, to wait for the right moment,” Kelly said.
Littlejohn, handcuffed behind his back, scowled as he pleaded not guilty yesterday. The career criminal faces up to 25 years in prison if convicted of the Oct. 19 assault.
Littlejohn, 41, drove up in a blue van to the woman – a York College student – in South Jamaica, prosecutor Frank DeGaetano said at the hearing.
The driver wore a shirt reading “Fugitive Agent” and a gun belt with handcuffs, a walkie-talkie and pistol. He demanded the woman’s ID, DeGaetano said.
As she reached for her wallet, Littlejohn allegedly handcuffed her from behind and tossed her in the van before speeding off. He punched her twice and threw a black coat over her head, DeGaetano said.
But she kept her cool, and minutes later kicked the moving van’s back door open and fell to the road.
In addition to the DNA evidence, police found a key for the handcuffs on Littlejohn’s key chain. The victim was able to pick out the van and identified a jacket found in his house as the one thrown over her head, DeGaetano said.
But Littlejohn’s lawyer, Kevin O’Donnell, said the fact she could not pick his client out of a lineup was telling. He also questioned the DNA evidence.
“They’ve had Darryl Littlejohn’s DNA in the databank for the last six years. My question is why did it take all this time from the alleged incident Oct. 19 up to the end of April to make that connection,” he said.
Prosecutors said the test ruled out 99.9995 percent of the population.
Case against Darryl Littlejohn (left, in court yesterday)in Imette St. Guillen ‘s (right)slaying:
* His DNA matches blood found on ties used to bind her hands.
* Cellphone records place him near site where body was dumped.
Case against him in Queens assault:
* His DNA matches that found on handcuffs.
* A key for cuffs found on his key chain.
* Victim says his van was the one used in attack.
* She says black coat is the one found in his house.