Matthew Nilo, a 35-year-old attorney from New Jersey, entered a plea of not guilty in Suffolk Superior Court, Massachusetts, for charges relating to the alleged rape of four women during his time as a college student in 2007 and 2008, Your Content has learned.
Nilo’s arrest occurred recently after FBI officers apprehended him outside his upscale residence in Weehawken. Accompanied by his fiancée, Lauren Griffin, who clung to rosary beads and a cross, Nilo appeared in court to deny the accusations.
The charges against Nilo include three counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, one count of assault with intent to rape, and one count of indecent assault and battery. DNA evidence reportedly connected him to the crimes.
During the hearing, Nilo’s family members and fiancée offered their support. Griffin, 37, maintained a solemn demeanor throughout, tightly holding onto her rosary beads with an attached cross.
The court set bail at $500,000. If Nilo manages to post the bail amount, he will be required to undergo GPS monitoring, avoid contact with the alleged victims, and stay away from the crime scenes.
Wearing a blue shirt and jeans, Nilo appeared emotional as he entered his not guilty plea. Boston Police Department had previously issued a warning regarding a man assaulting women after offering them rides home, which led to Nilo being identified as a suspect.
Law enforcement connected Nilo to the crimes through voluntarily provided DNA samples from his family, which were compared to a genealogy database similar to ’23andMe.’
In a police affidavit, it was detailed that a team of FBI agents and Boston Police officers arrested Nilo at his luxury apartment complex. They lured him to the lobby by falsely claiming a large package had been delivered to him, prompting his arrest.
Nilo’s fiancée, Griffin, also attended a court hearing in New Jersey where Nilo waived extradition. The assaults Nilo is accused of occurred on or around Terminal Street in Charleston on various dates in 2007 and 2008.
One of the victims, a 23-year-old woman, alleges that Nilo approached her after she left a friend’s home, offering her a ride to help locate her vehicle. Instead, he drove her to Terminal Street, threatened her with a weapon, and raped her on a grassy area near the railroad tracks.
Another victim, aged 23, entered Nilo’s car, mistaking it for a taxi after leaving a bar on State Street. Believing she missed her apartment address, she notified Nilo, who then revealed a knife. He drove her to Terminal Street, where he forced her out of the vehicle and raped her.
The third assault involved a 36-year-old woman whom Nilo allegedly approached on Boston Common, enticing her with the promise of money if she accompanied him to Charlestown. After arriving at Terminal Street, he allegedly assaulted her, holding a gun to her back and subjecting her to repeated rapes.
In the final incident, a 44-year-old woman was attacked while jogging in the vicinity of Terminal Street in December 2008. Nilo allegedly approached her from behind, assaulted her, and threatened her by claiming to have a gun. She managed to escape by poking at his eyes.
All three victims underwent sexual assault examinations, which yielded DNA profiles matching the perpetrator in each case, according to DailyMail.
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