DNA Testing Leads To Arrest Made In 26-Year-Old Sex Assault Case

CHARLOTTE, NC — Charlotte police have arrested a 55-year-old man they say is the primary suspect wanted for a sexual assault and robbery committed in Charlotte 26 years ago. The case had grown cold until a recent federal grant for rape kit DNA testing provided authorities new leads.

Charlotte has a backlog of more than 800 sexual assault kits that have either only been partially tested or not processed at all, The Charlotte Observer reported recently.

Details of the case dating back to 1992 are chilling: a woman, who was then 32, was visiting family when she met the suspect at a neighbor’s house. She was walking with the suspect through the neighborhood when he knocked her to the ground.

“The victim fought with the suspect, but he was able to sexually assault her,” Charlotte police said in a statement. He also stole money from her, police added.

She immediately went home and notified police, and evidence was collected. That evidence, police say, led to the April 12 arrest.

SEE ALSO: Federal Grant For DNA Rapekit Backlog Leads CMPD To Arrest

As a result of recent DNA testing, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police detectives identified the suspect as Johnny Calvin Kimble, 55, and have charged him with second degree rape and common law robbery.

In 2006, CMPD launched a Sexual Assault Cold Case Unit to review 2,886 cases, and reports fewer than 10 percent of those cases have been resolved. Of those cases, 266 have been cleared, 83 of which were cleared by arrest, 180 were exceptionally cleared and 3 have been unfounded," CMPD said Friday.

In October 2017, CMPD received a Department of Justice grant of $837,342 aimed at getting Charlotte caught up with DNA testing, the Observer reported. In addition to testing, the grant paid for two new laptops for sexual assault detectives, as well as the hiring of a part-time researcher.

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Photo courtesy of Mecklenburg County Sheriff’ Office