Man Indicted Over Cold Case Tied by DNA
Overview of the Case
An incarcerated man faces new charges of rape and kidnapping after DNA evidence linked him to an incident that allegedly occurred 25 years ago in Northeast Baltimore. The case involves a woman who reported being abducted and assaulted in June 2000.
Details of the Incident
Baltimore Police reported that in 2000, a man informed officers that he and his girlfriend were robbed after leaving a restaurant on Harford Road. Two masked suspects committed the crime: one stole the man's Acura, while the other forced the woman into a Nissan and drove away. The woman was later found near Baltimore City College, where she claimed the suspect threatened to kill her if she disobeyed. The attacker then forced her to undress and sexually assaulted her, before fleeing the scene.
The Indictment
The suspect, Michael Harris, aged 50, is currently serving time at the Roxbury Correctional Institution in Hagerstown for an unrelated case. He was indicted last week based on DNA evidence tying him to the 2000 assault. Harris is defended by the Office of the Public Defender, which did not comment on the case.
Authorities' Statement
Baltimore Police confirmed that DNA analysis connected Harris to the cold case involving the abduction and assault of a woman in Northeast Baltimore, reactivating a decades-old investigation.
Author's summary:
This case highlights how DNA evidence can reopen cold cases, linking longstanding unsolved offenses to suspects currently incarcerated for other crimes.