ORLANDO, Fla. — Attorneys for Nelson Odige said they will take the night to consider if he should testify in his own defense after prosecutors rested their case Wednesday afternoon.
Odige is facing a possible sentence of life in prison if he’s convicted of bein the “Pine Hills Bus Stop Rapist.” Prosecutors have accused him of attacking four women as they waited to catch a ride to work in January and February 2023.
Prosecutors spent approximately one day presenting what they believe is a rock-solid case. All four women testified, as well as experts who linked Odige’s license plate and DNA to each of the four scenes.
They also said Odige willingly allowed detectives to swab him without a warrant and, after denying any contact with the women, changed his story and admitted he had sex with one of them as part of an agreement to help a family member immigrate to the United States.
“Hi, it’s Nelson,” an apology note to the woman read in court stated. “I am sorry about everything…. I know I’m wrong, I’m so sorry, forgive me please.”
Odige’s attorneys took issue with the post-arrest interviews, which happened in English instead of Odige’s native Creole. Despite detectives characterizing the interviews as smooth, Odige clearly struggled to understand the rights that were read to him.
Detectives said they didn’t think to offer Odige a translator because he responded to their questions.
It’s not clear what else they might be preparing, if anything. Their opening statement was a few sentences long, and they have asked few other questions of witnesses.
The judge indicated jurors would begin deliberations around lunch, though that could be impacted by Odige’s decision on whether or not to take the stand.
Click here to download our free news, weather and smart TV apps. And click here to stream Channel 9 Eyewitness News live.
©2025 Cox Media Group
