'Malibu Rapist' to face new charges after Orlando detectives solve cold cases

ORLANDO, Fla. - Twenty-six cold cases cracked. Orlando Police Special Victims Unit announced it solved dozens of cases that all point back at one man: George Girtman.

Police call him the "Malibu Rapist." He’s already in prison, but he’s about to get slapped with more than a dozen new charges.

Gail Gardner is a survivor who said she never stopped her fight for justice after she was raped in 1988. New technology is piecing together the evidence, while a new law named after her is bringing action and results.

Thirty-three years ago, Gardner was a struggling single mother with a 9-year-old son.

"We were sleeping in the same room in the same bed," she said. "I had him next to me when this happened."

Orlando detectives said Girtman broke into her home in the middle of the night and raped her at knifepoint. They said he could also be responsible for dozens of other attacks between 1985 and 1991.

He is known as the "Malibu Rapist" because the crimes were committed in the area of the Malibu Groves neighborhood. The victims ranged in age from a 6-year-old girl to women in their 40s.

"We’ve since determined that he chose his victims at random," Lt. Frank Chisari said. "Often by noticing children’s toys that were left in the yard."

Even though some 30 years have gone by, Gardner went back to the Orlando Police Department a little more than a year ago to ask that they revisit her case.

Ultimately, new technology in DNA testing identified Girtman.

"The kits were tested back in the 80s and 90s," Chisari said. "The problem is technology advanced, so we were able to find out more about potential suspects."

Girtman is now 67 years old serving a life sentence in prison. At the moment, detectives said he doesn’t know new charges are coming his way.

"Not yet," Det. Graham Cage said. "Because of COVID-19, they are not letting law enforcement into the prisons to interview suspects. That has been planned. That will be happening very shortly. Talking to detectives that worked these cases back then... he never once admitted guilt. In fact, he refused to speak to law enforcement, so hopefully, he will talk this time."

MORE NEWS: Detective 'overjoyed' over conviction in 37-year-old cold case murder of Navy recruit

Gardner said she plans to face him in court.

"I think I need to look him and the judge in the face," she said.

All known victims have been notified. Sadly, detectives said they believe more victims are out there.  Twenty-six cold cases are being closed. Eleven of those victims have since passed away. That leaves 15 cases to prosecute.

"I survived a horrific crime and I’m thriving because I moved forward in my life to live and to advocate for others having difficulty moving forward."

Gail’s Law was just unanimously passed into Florid Law, which creates a statewide tracking system for sexual assault kits that allows survivors the option of getting status updates on their case.

Watch FOX 35 Orlando for the latest Central Florida news.