On Saturday, July 10, 2015, a young woman was leaving an apartment complex in Tamarac, walking to the parking lot when she was approached by a stranger. The stranger grabbed her, threatened to kill her and forced her into a waiting vehicle. Inside the vehicle was a second male. Ten years after this horrifying incident, the Broward Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Unit identified and arrested one of those men, 59-year-old Melvin Kendrick.

It was around 11:30 p.m. the night the incident occurred. Once the men got the victim into the car, they threw her phone out the window and drove to a secluded area of the parking lot where they sexually battered her.

Eventually on that terrifying night in 2015, the victim was able to escape by opening the car door and jumping out of the moving vehicle. She fled to a nearby business and called for help. The incident was investigated by detectives in 2015, but with very few leads the case went cold and remained unsolved. Forensic evidence collected at the time revealed potential DNA profiles. Those unknown profiles were entered into a national database; however, no matches were identified.

In December 2024, BSO’s Cold Case Unit reviewed the case, and the DNA evidence collected during the initial investigation was re-examined and submitted to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement DNA Database. The DNA results identified an inmate who was a possible close family member with one of the attackers. Further investigation identified Melvin Kendrick as a potential DNA match. BSO investigators interviewed Kendrick and collected a sample of his DNA.

The BSO Crime Lab conducted a comparison of Kendrick’s DNA sample to that of the attacker, which was a positive match. The case was filed with the Broward County State Attorney’s Office and an arrest warrant was issued.

On February 19, 2026, BSO’s V.I.P.E.R. (Violence Intervention Proactive Enforcement Response) investigators located and arrested Kendrick. He faces one count of sexual battery and one count of false imprisonment. The investigation as to the identity of the second subject continues.

The wait for justice lasted years. Now, thanks to tireless investigative work by detectives, the victim finally knows one of her attackers will be held accountable.

BSO investigators are asking anyone with information to contact Det. David Towsley at 954-321-4210 or submit a tip through the SaferWatch App. If you wish to remain anonymous, please contact Broward Crime Stoppers at 954-493-TIPS (8477), online at browardcrimestoppers.org, or dial **TIPS (8477) from any cellphone in the United States.