Skip to content
NOWCAST WESH 2 News Sunrise
Live Now
Advertisement

DNA links son of country music artist to 2017 sexual battery of UCF student, documents say

DNA links son of country music artist to 2017 sexual battery of UCF student, documents say
BOB: TODAY WE OBTAINED THIS 36 PAGE COURT DOCUMENT WHICH SAYS THE ACCUSER MET THE COUNTRY SINGER'S SON AT A NOW CLOSED BAR NEAR UCF, AND MORE THAN TWO YEARS LATER, DNA LINKED HIM TO THE ELECTED -- ALLEGE IT -- ALLEGED SEX BATTERY. 22-YEAR-OLD THEODORE TIPPIN WAS IN FRONT OF A JUDGE THIS WEEK FACING A CHARGE OF SEXUAL BATTERY ON A PHYSICALLY HELPLESS PERSON. HE'S THE SON OF AARON TIPPIN, A WELL-KNOWN COUNTRY MUSIC STAR WHOSE HITS INCLUDE "KISS THIS" FROM 2000. TODAY, WESH 2 NEWS OBTAINED COURT DOCUMENTS SHOWING THE INCIDENT HAPPENED IN 2017. A UCF STUDENT ALLEGEDLY MET THE SUSPECT AT A BAR NEAR CAMPUS THAT IS NOW CLOSED, AND BLACKED OUT AFTER LEAVING. THE DOCUMENTS SAY TWO YEARS LATER, FDLE GOT A HIT ON THE DNA COLLECTED FROM THE ACCUSER, AND IT MATCHED THEODORE TIPPIN. RECORDS SHOW TIPPIN HAD TO PROVIDE A SAMPLE OF HIS DNA AFTER A DIFFERENT 2017 CASE IN PASCO COUNTY. IN COURT MONDAY, PROSECUTORS SAID IN THAT PREVIOUS CASE, TIPPIN WAS CHARGED WITH CHILD ABUSE. >> BUT IT ALSO INVOLVED SEXUAL ACTIVITY WITH A 13-YEAR-OLD MINOR. BOB: INVESTIGATORS TRAVELED TO TENNESSEE TO TALK TO HIM, AND THEY SAY WHEN HE SAW A PICTURE OF THE ACCUSER, HE SAID, "SHE LOOKED FAMILIAR BUT HE WAS DRINKING HEAVILY AT THAT POINT." THEY SAY HE REMEMBERED GOING TO AN APARTMENT DOWN THE STREET FROM THE BAR, AND THAT HE DID HAVE SEX WITH THE WOMAN, BUT CLAIMED IT WAS CONSENSUAL. WE ALSO LEARNED TODAY ANOTHER MAN, DEREK ROMANO, WAS ARRESTED LAST YEAR ON THE SAME CHARGE FOR THIS CAS HIS DNA WAS ALLEGEDLY FOUND ON THE ACCUSER, AS WELL. TIPPIN BONDED FROM JAIL AFTER POSTING $10,000 BOND. REPORTING NEAR U
Advertisement
DNA links son of country music artist to 2017 sexual battery of UCF student, documents say
A newly released document reveals what led to the arrest of a well-known country music artist's son in Brevard County.The 36-page court document said the victim met Theodore Tippin at a now-closed bar near the University of Central Florida. More than two years later, DNA evidence connected him to the sexual battery on a physically helpless person charge.Documents said a University of Central Florida student met someone at the bar and blacked out after leaving.According to the document, two years after the alleged attack, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement received a lead from DNA evidence collected from the victim.The DNA matched Tippin.Records show Tippin had to provide a sample of his DNA after a different 2017 case in Pasco County. Prosecutors said in court Monday that in the previous case, Tippin was charged with child abuse. Officials said it also involved sexual activity with a 13-year-old.Investigators traveled to Tennessee to speak with Tippin. They said when he saw a picture of the accuser, he told them she looked familiar but he was drinking heavily at that point.They said he remembered going to an apartment down the street from the bar and that he did have sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual.Another man, Derek Romano, was arrested last year on the same charge for the same case.His DNA was allegedly found on the accuser, as well.Tippin was released from jail after posting $10,000 bond.Records and social media posts show Tippin is the son of Aaron Tippin, who has several well-known hits, including "You've Got to Stand for Something," which came out in the 1990s.

A newly released document reveals what led to the arrest of a well-known country music artist's son in Brevard County.

The 36-page court document said the victim met Theodore Tippin at a now-closed bar near the University of Central Florida. More than two years later, DNA evidence connected him to the sexual battery on a physically helpless person charge.

Advertisement

Documents said a University of Central Florida student met someone at the bar and blacked out after leaving.

According to the document, two years after the alleged attack, the Florida Department of Law Enforcement received a lead from DNA evidence collected from the victim.

The DNA matched Tippin.

Records show Tippin had to provide a sample of his DNA after a different 2017 case in Pasco County.

Prosecutors said in court Monday that in the previous case, Tippin was charged with child abuse. Officials said it also involved sexual activity with a 13-year-old.

Investigators traveled to Tennessee to speak with Tippin. They said when he saw a picture of the accuser, he told them she looked familiar but he was drinking heavily at that point.

They said he remembered going to an apartment down the street from the bar and that he did have sex with the woman but claimed it was consensual.

Another man, Derek Romano, was arrested last year on the same charge for the same case.

His DNA was allegedly found on the accuser, as well.

Tippin was released from jail after posting $10,000 bond.

Records and social media posts show Tippin is the son of Aaron Tippin, who has several well-known hits, including "You've Got to Stand for Something," which came out in the 1990s.