Miami sexual battery suspect held in custody in los angeles

Posted on September 02, 2009 3:00 AM EST

A former Miami-Dade advertising salesman who is now locked up in Los Angeles for two sexually related attacks has been charged with a sexual assault and kidnaping which occurred at the mall located in Kendall, Florida. Theodore Lazier, a University of Florida graduate and former Beverly Hills advertising salesman has been identified through a DNA match to be the man who committed a sexual assault, kidnaping and armed robbery in Miami, Florida against a mother at The Falls Shopping Center in 2006. Lazier has not yet had the opportunity to speak with a Miami criminal lawyer at this juncture in his case. Once Lazier is transferred to Miami, Florida, he will either retain a Miami criminal lawyer or be appointed one by a state court judge.

An arrest warrant for Lazier was entered into the Miami-Dade County criminal court system. Lazier is pending arrest for two counts of armed sexual battery and two counts of armed kidnaping. In the case that occurred at the Kendall Mall, Lazier allegedly forced a 37 year-old woman into her car at gunpoint. The woman was putting her daughter into the car seat inside the parking garage when she was attacked by Lazier. Lazier drove the woman to another location where he sexually assaulted her and then abandoned her at a local Home Depot.

As a result of the attack, The Falls Shopping Center added extra security and video surveillance cameras. In order to catch the suspect, detectives created a video re-enactment of the offense and handed out hundreds of fliers around the neighborhood. Major Elizabeth Buchholz, of the Miami-Dade sexual crimes bureau stated, "Residents from coast to coast can feel a little safer knowing he is behind bars."

Lazier was at large for almost three years, when he was detained in Beverly Hills, California because he matched the description of a person who committed two assaults which occurred nearby. In one case, Lazier broke into a woman's home at gunpoint, robbed her and forced her to drive him to the airport. In the second case, Lazier assaulted a woman in an underground parking lot and attempted to kidnap her. There was no physical evidence in either case, but both victims were able to identify their attacker. Lazier was charged with kidnaping, carjacking and robbery. Lazier pled guilty in California state court and was sentenced to 11 years in prison.

Lazier was raised in Homestead, Florida and attended South Dade High School. He then graduated from the University of Florida with a telecommunications degree. He has held several jobs from Miami Beach, Florida to Beverly Hills, California.

Suspect in Rape at The Falls Being Held in L.A., The Miami Herald, September 2, 2009.