DNA helps nab man accused of raping woman, leaving her in trash bin 26 years ago, cops say

DNA evidence led to the arrest of a North Carolina prison inmate in connection to a 26-year-old Charlotte rape case, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police said in a news release Tuesday.

In June 1992, a 27-year-old woman was raped in the 2200 block of Rama Road after she accepted a ride home from a man, CMPD’s news release said. The assailant “dragged” the woman from his car and “forced” her into a dumpster , according to the news release. He then drove away, police said.

“The victim was treated at the hospital and a sexual assault kit was collected,” CMPD’s news release said. “The sexual assault kit was initially tested in 1992, and additional testing was completed on it in 2017 as a part of a federal grant CMPD received.”

Police said, “DNA evidence confirmed Kenneth McIllwaine as the suspect.”

The 52-year-old McIllwaine is in Tabor City Correctional Institute for a 1995 rape, police said. In that case, he was identified through DNA in 2015, according to the CMPD news release.

In the Charlotte cold case, police charged McIllwaine with first-degree kidnapping and second-degree rape.

This story was originally published October 30, 2018 at 5:32 PM with the headline "DNA helps nab man accused of raping woman, leaving her in trash bin 26 years ago, cops say."