DNA from gold chain leads to arrest in beating case

Twenty months after an 81-year-old man was severely beaten and robbed in his West Side home, a Chicago man has been arrested and charged with the crime because of forensic testing of a gold chain necklace found at the crime scene.

Othar Ames, 46, of the 2800 block of West Wilcox Street is charged with aggravated assault and robbery and was ordered held without bail Saturday in Cook County Bond Court by Judge Matthew E. Coghlan.

The victim suffered massive head trauma, including two broken eye orbitals, in the Jan. 22, 2005, attack and spent more than a year in the hospital, prosecutors said in court Saturday. He suffers permanent brain damage from his injuries.

When the victim was discovered at his house, in the 1500 block of North Mason Avenue, authorities said a gold chain necklace was found lying next to him that appeared to have been torn off in a struggle. Forensic testing was completed Aug. 21 and the DNA matched that of Ames, authorities said. Prosecutors allege Ames, arrested Thursday, knew the victim's wife.

Prosecutors said Ames, a father of six, has a long criminal history of felony arrests dating to 1988. Between 1991 and 1999, he was convicted of aggravated sexual assault, possession of a controlled substance, unlawful use of a weapon, and burglary, according to the state's attorney's office. He was twice sentenced to prison terms, according to the office.