SAN JOSE, Calif. (KFOX14) — A convicted sex offender has been sentenced to life in prison for his role in a violent robbery and sexual assault that occurred more than 30 years ago at the Oakridge Mall in South San Jose, prosecutors announced Tuesday.
Conviction Details
Thomas Loguidice, 68, was convicted last year of kidnapping and other charges related to a January 14, 1994, attack on a 21-year-old woman. At the time, the victim was the acting manager of the President Tuxedo store at the mall. Loguidice entered the showroom early that morning and forcibly dragged the victim into a back storage room at knifepoint, where he tied her to a pipe.
Prosecutors said that Loguidice stole a small amount of cash from the store’s register before sexually assaulting the victim. Afterward, he fled the scene on foot, leaving the victim traumatized. Despite numerous leads, the case remained unsolved for years, with the investigation eventually going cold.
Breakthrough in Cold Case
In 2022, the Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Cold Case Unit made a breakthrough. The unit discovered that DNA collected from the crime scene matched a profile in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), which identified Loguidice as the perpetrator. At the time of the attack, there was insufficient evidence to charge him, but DNA analysis allowed authorities to make a connection to Loguidice.
Previous Convictions
Loguidice had been serving a 40-year prison sentence for the sexual abuse of four children under the age of 13 in San Benito County. His history of violent offenses led investigators to reexamine the 1994 case, ultimately securing his conviction for the 1994 robbery and sexual assault.
However, due to the statute of limitations expiring in 2000, Loguidice could not be convicted of the sexual assault related to the 1994 attack. Instead, he was sentenced for kidnapping, a charge that carried a life sentence.
Impact of the Cold Case Unit
District Attorney Jeff Rosen praised the tireless work of the DA’s Crime Lab, investigators, and prosecutors for bringing Loguidice to justice, stating, “I am grateful for the terrific work of our Crime Lab, investigators, and prosecutors to bring this perpetrator to justice.”
The Cold Case Unit has been instrumental in solving unsolved crimes, having resolved over 30 cold case murders since its establishment in 2011. Following a $500,000 federal grant in 2021, the unit expanded its focus to include sexual assault cases, successfully solving 12 cold case sexual assaults, including five in the past year.
Loguidice’s life sentence for the 1994 crime ensures that he will remain behind bars for the rest of his life, providing justice and closure to the victim and the community affected by the traumatic event.
