DATE: January 17, 2019    
CONTACT:
Diane Richardson
Media Relations Office
(301) 609-6557 or (240) 682-1658

Cold Case Solved – Detectives Identify Suspect in 1993 Rape Case

Fingerprint Analysis, DNA and Continued Investigation Led to Arrest

Detectives with the Charles County Sheriff’s Office Criminal Investigations Division and Forensic Science Unit have identified the suspect in a sexual assault that occurred in 1993 in Waldorf. Vincent Wayne Jones, 51, of Tennessee, was arrested by members of the Bartlett County Police Department and the CCSO in September 2018. He waived extradition and was transported to Charles County on September 29. Investigators are looking into the possibility Jones may have assaulted other people, but have not linked him to any cases in the region at this time. Investigators are asking anyone with additional information about Jones to contact them. The 1993 case occurred as follows:

On August 20, 1993, during the overnight hours, Jones broke into a woman’s home in the 1100 block of Heritage Place in Waldorf, MD, where he sexually assaulted her at knife point for several hours. He did not know the victim, and the two had never met. He fled in the victim’s car, which was recovered in North Carolina a few days later.

Forensic Specialists processed the house where the assault occurred, as well as the victim’s vehicle, and evidence was recovered. A DNA profile was developed from evidence recovered from the victim’s vehicle, but it was not linked with a known suspect at that time.

In 2016, a specialist with the CCSO’s Forensic Science Unit re-examined the evidence in this case, and an identification was made linking Jones to a fingerprint that was recovered. Detectives pursued additional leads and subsequently obtained a search warrant for Jones’ DNA, which was analyzed and linked to the DNA recovered from the crime scene.

After all investigative leads were exhausted, the case was presented to a Charles County Grand Jury who returned an indictment in September charging Jones with rape, first-degree assault, second-degree assault and other related charges.

Investigators pieced together information about Jones:

  • He was born and raised in Maryland and moved frequently.
  • At some point, he lived on Gittings Court in Waldorf, MD, and went to Thomas Stone High School, but it doesn’t appear he graduated from there.
  • He was 25-years-old when the rape occurred, but it’s not clear where he was living at that time.

Investigators have determined Jones has lived in the following locations:

  • Baltimore, MD
  • Birmingham, AL
  • Chattanooga, TN
  • Las Vegas, NV
  • Lahaina, HI
  • Memphis, TN
  • Dallas, TX
  • Bartlett, TN
  • Tupelo, MS

When Jones was arrested in 2018, he was working as a private contractor for a satellite TV company as an installer. Jones previously worked in construction and listed his occupation as a carpenter. He also worked for a custom cabinet maker.

Due to his arrest, Jones’ DNA profile is continuously being searched at the National Level of CODIS. As detectives continue to investigate, they are asking anyone with more information about Jones, including where he’s lived and worked, to call Det. B. Buchanan at (301) 609-6477.

Charles County Crime Solvers offers rewards of up to $1,000 for information that leads to the arrest or indictment of a person responsible for a crime in Charles County. All individuals who provide tips through Crime Solvers will remain anonymous. Anyone with information about an unsolved crime or the location of a fugitive may contact Charles County Crime Solvers by calling 1-866-411-TIPS. Tips can also be submitted online at www.charlescountycrimesolvers.com or by using the P3Intel mobile app, which can be found in the Android Store and Apple store by searching P3tips. For more information about the P3 program, click on this link: www.p3intel.com. 

The Charles County Sheriff’s Office is a full-service law enforcement agency comprised of more than 600 police, corrections and civilian personnel responsible for protecting more than 150,000 residents. The CCSO was accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Law Enforcement Agencies (CALEA) in 2001 has been designated as a CALEA Gold Standard of Excellence agency since 2011. Established in 1658, the CCSO is one of the oldest law enforcement agencies in the United States. For more information, visit www.ccso.us.

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