From the Harford County Sheriff’s Office:
October 15, 2013, Bel Air, MD — A 28 year-old Harford County man was recently convicted of two counts of rape and one count of 1st degree burglary for committing the rape and sexual assault of an Edgewood woman in 2004.
As a result of DNA evidence recovered at the scene compared against a sampling taken from the suspect, Sheriff’s detectives arrested Deandre Eugene Wilson, 28, on September 17, 2012. At the time of his arrest Wilson was incarcerated in the Raybrook Federal Correctional Institute in Raybrook, New York, serving time for conspiracy and possession with intent to distribute cocaine. He was charged with two counts of 1st degree Rape, 2nd degree rape, 2nd degree assault, 1st and 3rd degree burglary. Wilson’s arrest and guilty finding successfully closes out a 9 year-old cold case investigation.
On July 14, 2004, a 33 year-old female, from the 800 block of Windstream Way, Edgewood, reported to deputies she was asleep in her living room when shortly before 3 a.m., she was awakened by a black male who was on top of her. Wilson was alleged to have broken into the home where he threatened the victim and then both physically and sexually assaulted her. He then fled the home in an unknown direction. Detectives pursued the investigation but were unable to identify any suspects at the time.
During the latter part of 2011, Sheriff’s detectives were reviewing several cold case investigations re-interviewing victims and witnesses looking for new leads that could aid in solving cases. As part of that review they identified forensic evidence in this case that could be submitted for DNA analysis and comparison. On October 12, 2011, detectives submitted their evidence to the Maryland State Police Laboratories who subsequently entered the DNA data into the FBI’s Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). CODIS generates investigative leads in cases where biological evidence is recovered from the crime scene. Forensic profiles are searched based on results obtained from nuclear DNA analysis.
On February 17, 2012, detectives were notified by the Maryland State Police Laboratories that CODIS had identified a match between the suspect Wilson and evidence recovered at the scene. In May 2012, detectives traveled to New York where they obtained additional DNA swabs from Wilson for comparison purposes. Lab results were returned in late August 2012 confirming the match between Wilson and the recovered evidence. Arrest warrants were subsequently obtained on September 17, 2012 charging Wilson with the aforementioned crimes.
During the week of September 30, 2013, trial was held in Harford County Circuit Court during which Wilson was found guilty of two counts of 1st degree rape and 1st degree burglary. Wilson is currently being held in the Harford County Detention Center awaiting his sentencing hearing which has been scheduled for January 21, 2014.
Thanks for the hard work, and NOT sweeping an old case….under the carpet~ !
Amen to that! Thank God for DNA testing!!!
Great work HC detectives! Dogged determination paid off and one more crook is behind bars.
Look for Jesse Bane’s press conference soon, where he will be front and center taking credit for the work the detectives did. That being said, it just goes to show that you should never give up.
DNA testing has become the criminal’s greatest fear since fingerprints.