Seventeen years after being raped and stabbed, Louise's attacker was identified, but the case could not proceed due to Massachusetts' 15-year statute of limitations for rape. This strict deadline places Massachusetts behind most other states, many of which have no deadline or allow extensions for DNA evidence. Rape crisis workers and prosecutors report encountering numerous cases where suspects avoid prosecution because the statute of limitations has passed. Louise's attacker was identified through DNA matching an earlier unsolved rape case, but by then, both the attempted murder and rape charges were time-barred. The case highlights how outdated laws and potential investigative delays can prevent justice for survivors. While Louise has recovered and is sober, the legal system's limitations mean her attacker may never face consequences. Many states have extended their statutes of limitations in response to research showing systemic failures in rape investigations and the power of DNA evidence. Legislation to extend these deadlines in Massachusetts has repeatedly failed to gain traction, facing opposition from defense attorneys. The case underscores the ongoing struggle for rape survivors to find justice when legal deadlines impede prosecution.