A Middle River man has been arrested in a 1987 rape after his DNA was found to match evidence collected in connection with the crime 17 years ago, Baltimore County police said today.
The arrest of Darrell Gene Haynes, 45, came after DNA from evidence in the case was matched with DNA in a statewide database known as CODIS, for Combined DNA Index System. All convicted felons in Maryland are required to submit a DNA sample to CODIS.
Haynes, of the 2100 block of Oakland Ave., is a registered child sex offender whose DNA was in CODIS after the earlier conviction.
An investigation was made at the time, but it was only with the use of the DNA evidence that police were able to arrest Haynes. He was not a suspect in the original investigation, police said.
Haynes has been charged with first-degree rape and a handgun violation in the rape, which occurred on Oct. 30, 1987, police said. Bail has been denied and Haynes is being held in the Baltimore County Detention Center, according to police.
Haynes is accused in the rape of a 21-year-old who was standing outdoors smoking a cigarette while at a Halloween party in North Point, police said, when she was approached by Haynes.
He allegedly showed her a handgun, threatened to kill her if she shouted and forced her into a nearby ditch where he raped her, police said.
Haynes then told her he was a police officer and said no one would believe her if she reported the crime, authorities said. Nevertheless, the victim reported it.
Baltimore County received a federal grant to pay for tests comparing the DNA of felons and of that collected in the investigation of unsolved crimes, police said.
DNA may be used as a genetic fingerprinting tool. With the exception of identical twins, the complete DNA -- deoxyribonucleic acid -- of each individual is unique. Copyright ` 2004, The Baltimore Sun| Get home delivery
Originally published June 25, 2004, 12:29 PM EDT
