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Soldier arrested 8 years later in Marion County rape case, deputies say

MARION COUNTY, Fla. — A soldier in the Army has been arrested in a cold case rape in Marion County from 2009, deputies said.

Timothy Damon Epps, 26, was arrested Nov. 7 in Fort Eustis, Virginia, where he’s currently in the U.S. Army, deputies said.

Deputies said Epps DNA matched to a rape in 2009 at a woman’s home in Marion County. Deputies said he pretended to be a deputy when he knocked on a door of a home belonging to a 67-year-old woman. Epps threatened her with a gun, raped her and stole $50, deputies said.

DNA evidence was collected at the scene, but there wasn’t a match until his DNA was put into the national database recently because of an investigation being conducted by the military, deputies said.

Epps told Channel 9's Myrt Price he did not rape the woman.

"It was embarrassing at first. I'm currently stationed in Fort Eustis and I'm currently active duty right now, eight years going. It was shocking and embarrassing the way it got handled," Epps said about his arrest.

Epps lived less than two miles from the rape victim in 2009, investigators said.

Investigators traveled to Fort Eustis in Army to interview Epps, but he immediately requested an attorney.

Epps faces charges of sexual battery with a deadly weapon, burglary with battery and impersonating a police officer.

Epps denied several times to raping the woman.

"I know for a fact. I'm not going to disclose how I know and other parties, but I'm aware of the situation, if it's really the situation that occurred. I'm aware of the other parties and I know my situation and role in it is," Epps said.

Based on information obtained through the course of the investigation, detectives believe it is highly likely that Epps might have committed similar crimes in other jurisdictions, deputies said.

Epps has resided in Florida, Missouri, Kentucky and Virginia, deputies said.

Anyone with information about Epps is urged to contact Marion County Det. Daniel Pinder at 352-368-3508.

Watch Channel 9 Myrt Price interview with Timothy Epps below: