Man Sentenced for 1989 Framingham Store Rapes

Stephen Paul Gale, 73, will likely die in prison for crimes committed over 30 years ago.

Mar. 31, 2026 at 2:40am

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

An extreme close-up photograph of a handgun trigger against a pitch-black background, lit by a harsh, direct camera flash, conceptually representing the violence and trauma of the 1989 Framingham store rapes.The harsh flash illumination of a gun trigger conceptually represents the violence and trauma of the 1989 Framingham store rapes.Woburn Today

Stephen Paul Gale, 73, was sentenced to at least 50 years in prison on Monday for the 1989 rapes of two women at a Framingham, Massachusetts store. Gale was convicted last week on four counts of aggravated rape, two counts of kidnapping, and one count of armed robbery. The cold case was reopened in 2022 using investigative genetic genealogy to identify Gale as the suspect.

Why it matters

This case highlights the power of modern DNA analysis techniques to solve decades-old crimes, even when initial investigations were unable to identify a suspect. It also underscores the lasting trauma and impact on victims of violent crimes, with the two women making emotional impact statements at Gale's sentencing decades later.

The details

In 1989, Gale pulled a gun on two employees opening a Framingham Hit or Miss store, robbed the store, and then forced the two women, ages 18 and 29, into separate rooms where he raped them while holding a gun to their heads. The case went cold for over 30 years until investigators were able to identify Gale as the suspect in 2024 using DNA evidence and investigative genetic genealogy.

  • In 1989, Gale committed the crimes at the Framingham store.
  • The case went cold for over 30 years until 2022 when investigators reopened it.
  • Gale was convicted last week on the charges.
  • Gale was sentenced on Monday to at least 50 years in prison.

The players

Stephen Paul Gale

A 73-year-old man convicted of raping two women in a Framingham store in 1989.

Marian Ryan

The Middlesex District Attorney who said this case is an example of the power of using investigative genetic genealogy to solve cold cases.

Lester Baker

The Framingham Police Chief who commended the bravery of the two women victims.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What’s next

Gale's defense attorney has filed a notice of appeal following the sentencing.

The takeaway

This case demonstrates the lasting impact of violent crimes on victims, even decades later, and the importance of using modern investigative techniques to solve cold cases and bring perpetrators to justice, no matter how much time has passed.