NEWS & OPINION FEATURE
The bill passed the state House on a 108-3 vote violence arrests. For two serial rapists, Somerindyke said, one was charged with six rapes and another earlier this year. “Rapists commit domestic violence, we know it,” with 11 rapes. Both were arrested for a misdemeanor related to domestic violence after their second rape. said Deanne Gerdes, executive director of Rape Crisis Had DNA been collected on that misdemeanor Volunteers of Cumberland County. In fact, rapists often have extensive criminal arrest and uploaded to the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), Somerindyke said, “at least histories that continue after victims reported their 13 women wouldn’t have been raped by these two rapes and submitted to a forensic exam, according suspects … I say at least 13 women just because to research led by Rachel Lovell, assistant professor it’s always possible they got away with unreported of criminology at Cleveland State University. Lovell’s team poured through 7,000 case files rapes.” BY KATE MARTIN, CAROLINA PUBLIC PRESS Proctor was arrested in 2013 for assault on a from untested rape kits in the Cleveland, Ohio, area, female, a misdemeanor charge usually associated some of them decades old, and selected 721 to with domestic violence, but he was never connected investigate more thoroughly. Three men left Linda for dead in the woods of for the DNA of Roy Junior Proctor, now 47, who had to Linda’s rape because DNA collection for that Researchers narrowed that group to 418 Harnett County after they kidnapped her from an been required to provide DNA as a condition of his crime is not required. The charge in that case was suspected sexual offenders who had been office building, brutally beat and raped her. probation for an unrelated conviction. identified, either by a hit on the CODIS database ultimately dismissed. She survived, but at a heavy cost. He remains in jail awaiting a trial that could (79%) or through a law enforcement investigation “I could have died,” Linda said. “They beat me a come this fall. Her other two assailants remain at Rapists often commit domestic (21%). Researchers then investigated the criminal lot. I was beaten in my face and kicked in my ribs and large. histories of the assailants. More than 85% continued had a neck injury.” Prosecutors charged Proctor with attempted violence to commit serious offenses, including other felonies. Earlier this year, several Cumberland County The future she imagined evaporated before first-degree murder, first-degree kidnapping, firstOf that group, 43% had been arrested for a her. Gone were the plans to become a surgical degree rape, first-degree sex offense and felonious lawmakers proposed a bill to require DNA submission domestic violence offense. upon an arrest for assault on a female. Already, the technologist. Linda quit school and never worked a larceny. Lovell’s data also shows serial rapists, those paying job again. Her assault was made infamous in Many cold-case rapists have a history of state takes DNA when someone is arrested for a who commit two or more rapes, are perhaps more violent felony. House Bill 674 would add assault on Cumberland County by the spray-painted phrase on domestic violence, Somerindyke said. common than previously thought. the hood of her white Toyota: “3 Horsemen.” His examination of 28 of Fayetteville’s cold-case a female and assault on a child under age 12 to that “While we are still undercounting repeat sexual That was nearly 30 years ago. suspects showed 13 of them had prior domestic list. In April 2015, John Somerindyke, then a Fayetteville Police Department lieutenant, showed up at her door as she rocked her grandchild. He was there to tell her they were reopening the investigation into her case. Linda said she knew what it was. “But you know, you wait for a long time, and I said, ‘Where have you been?’” Linda said in May. “He was really nice, and both of us were extremely nervous.” Somerindyke told her a cold-case team decided to reopen her case and was trying to find her attackers. That lieutenant, now a consultant, remembers the visit. The department had just opened its coldcase sexual assault unit and listed several rapes on a whiteboard. “Hers was on the top” of the list, Somerindyke said. “We outgrew the whiteboard and made it into a spreadsheet.” Police hoped untested DNA from thousands of rape kits would provide some clues, but that turned up dry. Then in October 2020, the Fayetteville Police Department received a “hit notification” from the state crime lab with a match to one of Linda’s three PHOTO BY DUSAN PETKOVIC/ADOBESTOCK attackers. The state crime lab had identified a match LAWMAKERS PROPOSED A BILL TO REQUIRE DNA SUBMISSION UPON AN ARREST FOR ASSAULT ON A FEMALE.
FROM COLD BLOOD
Pg. 4 JUNE 15 - JUNE 28, 2022 - QCNERVE.COM
Proposed NC legislation would collect DNA in domestic violence arrests
