Suspect arrested 38 years after sexual assault, kidnapping case opened in Phoenix

PHOENIX — After 38 years, a suspect accused of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a Phoenix toddler was identified and arrested, authorities announced Friday.

Phoenix detectives and Texas authorities located 61-year-old David Roy Mundt in August using Investigative Genetic Genealogy, as the suspect had evaded identification on two previous attempts. The Phoenix Police Department said it established probable cause and issued a warrant for Mundt’s arrest in Texas.

Mundt was connected to two separate cases of kidnapping and sexual assault, the first being on July 6, 1986, in Phoenix near 10th Street and Coral Gables Drive.

Officers responded to an early morning call that a toddler had been kidnapped. The callers told the Phoenix police that the suspect had burglarized their home overnight, too. The child was located and returned to its parents quickly after authorities arrived on the scene.

The second incident occurred on October 28, 1992, where a child went missing in Henderson, Texas.

The trail went cold in both instances, as the DNA from the scene processed by Phoenix PD’s Cold Case Sex Crimes detectives did not match a known person.

A suspect tied to a 1986 sexual assault of a toddler has been arrested. The same suspect was linked to a similar 1992 sexual assault of a minor in Texas.

The collaborative effort of #PHXPD and @TxDPS resulted in the arrest of the suspect. https://t.co/EVAdq11vGR

— Phoenix Police (@PhoenixPolice) October 31, 2024

Mundt is currently being held in Texas during the extradition process, and will be transported to Phoenix to face related charges.

The Maricopa County Attorney’s Office, the Department of Public Safety Texas Rangers and Phoenix PD Crime Lab personnel also played a role in resolving this case.

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