Florida authorities deny Ingrassia is a suspect

FARMINGTON – Contrary to what other local news entities are reporting, Thomas Ingrassia is not a suspect at this time in any open or closed cases in Pinellas County, Fla., according to officials with the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department.

“Thomas Ingrassia is not a suspect at this time in any open or closed cases in our area,” said Sgt. Tim Goodman, of the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Department. “A sample of Ingrassia’s DNA was taken on Monday. Once his DNA is profiled it will go into the National DNA Database where it will be compared to other DNA samples that have been retrieved at crime scenes. The fact that he is not a suspect at this time may change in the future if his DNA matches in the database.”

Goodman said he was not sure how long it will take to get Ingrassia’s profile in the system.

“If his profile were to match any of our DNA samples we have collected the first thing we would generally do is finish putting our case together,” Goodman said. “We would then typically present our case to the state attorney’s office for prosecution consideration. Depending on what the state attorney’s office decided to do, warrants could then be applied for and Ingrassia could be extradited back to Florida to stand trial.”

Goodman said Ingrassia could serve out his sentences, if there are any in Missouri, before he would be extradited.

Katia Stocksdale, who was married to Ingrassia for seven months in Florida, said the fact that Ingrassia’s DNA wasn’t taken until Monday is frustrating. Ingrassia was using an alias when he married Stocksdale.

“I think he has definitely done a lot of things,” Stocksdale said. “I wouldn’t say that he is a suspect in any other cases yet, because that wouldn’t be fair.”

Captain Chris Ricks, of the Missouri State Highway Patrol, confirmed that a DNA sample from Ingrassia had been taken on Monday.

“The sample will be evaluated by our DNA analyzer in Jefferson City,” said Ricks. “Ingrassia’s DNA profile will then go into our database where authorities in Florida can compare DNA samples which they have obtained.”

While being held in the Sexual Predator’s Unit in Farmington under civil commitment, Ingrassia allegedly cut a steel mesh window screen and then cut through a security fence enclosing the Farmington Correctional Center. He had been in that unit for nearly two years.

Ingrassia was found in Florida, living under the assumed name of Dave Davis – his half brother – and was married to Stocksdale. He was captured late last year after his wife became suspicious and began researching her husband on the Internet. She then contacted police after a coworker ran across a photograph of Ingrassia on a fugitive page listing Missouri’s 10 Most Wanted.

Stocksdale described Ingrassia as a very violent individual and claimed there was a lot of abuse in their relationship.

“It’s going to be interesting to see what will come out of his (Ingrassia) trial next week,” said Stocksdale. “Supposedly he has been quiet while he has been in jail. I would like to think he is remorseful for what he has done. However, I can’t help but think he is just plotting a way to try to get out of this.”

When arrested by Florida authorities, Ingrassia first claimed it was a case of mistaken identity – that he was not Ingrassia. Fingerprints said otherwise. He eventually admitted his identity and waived extradition back to Missouri.

Ingrassia served more than 18 years in prison on four rape charges, the first occurring when he was 19 years old. Two years after being released on parole, Ingrassia was arrested for stalking a woman in Lincoln County. That arrest prompted Attorney General Jay Nixon to have Ingrassia confined under the state’s civil confinement law.

Ingrassia escaped in October of 2001 and was missing until October of 2003.

Ingrassia is facing up to seven years in prison. The St. Francois County Grand Jury has indicted Ingrassia on charges of first-degree property damage.

Ingrassia was charged as a prior persistent offender, which means he could be sentenced up to seven years instead of four. Ingrassia’s trial is scheduled to begin on Jan. 12.