Suspect in 1994 rape case sentenced to life in prison
CHARLOTTE, N.C. β A man was sentenced to life in prison after a jury convicted him of the 1994 rape of a Charlotte woman.
The trail began on Feb. 23 and ended Thursday with 53-year-old James Ingersoll being found guilty of first-degree rape and first-degree burglary.
On June 17, 1994, Ingersoll, who didnβt know the victim, broke into her home around 1 a.m. through an unlocked back door, prosecutors said. The victim was asleep at the time the attack began. She tried to fight off Ingersoll until he put a weapon to her neck, according to the District Attorney’s Office.
After the attack, the victim jumped out the bedroom window and ran across the street to a friendβs house until police were called. She was transported to a local hospital where a sexual assault kit was collected.
Police were unable to identify the suspect until 2022 where Ingersoll was confirmed the suspect based on DNA lab results via forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) testing and other investigative leads.
The judge sentenced Ingersoll to life in prison with the possibility for parole. He also received 25 years in prison for the burglary charge. If released, he will have to register as a sex offender for 30 years.
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