DNA Evidence Solves 1992 Sexual Assault

A second look at break-in and sex assault solves cold case

After nearly 20 years, a sexual assault in which a man entered through the victim's bedroom window was solved thanks to an inquiring officer going through some old case files.

Dewaine Thornton, 52, of the unit block of Deptford Avenue allegedly confessed to sexually assaulting a woman inside her Mantua, N.J. apartment in May 1992 after DNA evidence linked him to the case, according to NJ.com.

Thornton was connected to the sexual assault and burglary at the Heather Ridge Apartments due to new cracks in DNA evidence that was collected at the time of the crime, but only recently given a second look by West Deptford Township Det. Cpl. Anna Connolly, according to the Courier Post Online.

Connolly passed on the old file to Det. Cpl. Michael Cramer who opened a new investigation that would take the next seven months to complete, according to police.

When the DNA evidence came back in December it connected Thornton, who was in the system from a previous crime, to the rape case, police said.

But first police had to find him to get a second sample to compare to the old sample. Family members told police that Thornton left and they didn't know where he was, according to Patch.com.

Police finally tracked down Thornton at a family member’s house in Ambler, Pa., according to reports.

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“I credit (Cramer’s) aggressive police work,” Police Chief Craig Mangano told NJ.com. “He knew it couldn’t be solved back then. There are many cases we’re able to solve now because of DNA evidence.”

Thornton is charged with sexual assault, burglary and related charges in connection to the 1992 incident and faces assault on police, resisting arrest and other charges for fleeing from police during his arrest. He was being held on $225,000 cash bail.

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