A decades-old sexual assault case has drawn a breakthrough, with authorities announcing the arrest of a suspect on Thursday. David Lee Toney, 58, is now in custody, accused of raping and kidnapping a victim in 1998. The Raleigh Police Department credited the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), launched by the North Carolina Department of Justice, with helping to crack the cold case. The SAKI program focuses on re-examining and re-testing evidence in unsolved sexual assault cases.
A key piece of evidence in this particular case was a DNA sample that matched Toney’s profile in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). CODIS is a national database containing DNA profiles of convicted offenders, crime scene evidence from unsolved crimes, and missing persons. The system enables investigators to cross-check DNA evidence from different cases, potentially linking them to known offenders.
Toney faces charges of first-degree rape, attempted first-degree sexual offense, kidnapping, and assault inflicting serious bodily injury. While a court appearance date has not been set, the arrest marks a significant development in the case. The Raleigh Police Department’s efforts to bring closure to the victim and their loved ones are now underway, as the case moves forward. Toney is currently being held pending his first court appearance.
