New Westminster Police have arrested a Vancouver man in connection with the 1996 sexual assault of 79-year-old Dorothy Darnell.
James Gray, 48, has been charged with aggravated sexual assault, break-and-enter, forcible confinement, robbery, choking to overcome resistance and uttering threats. Gray is in custody to appear in court. He has what Scott called a 鈥渓engthy criminal history of property related offences.鈥�
On the morning of Oct. 4, 1996, Darnell was attacked while asleep in her New Westminster home.
鈥淗er attacker beat her so severely that her cheekbone was shattered and she would lose sight in one eye,鈥� a New Westminster Police statement reads. 鈥淎fter Darnel lost consciousness the attacker sexually assaulted her.鈥�
A $12,000 reward was offered by New West Police and an anonymous donor.
In March 2016, a DNA link was established between the 1996 file and a Coquitlam break-and-enter, said Sgt Jeff Scott. The Coquitlam break-and-enter did not involve a senior, he added.
鈥淭here was DNA that was collected from our investigation that was put into a bank that matched a DNA hit from a Coquitlam RCMP file,鈥� Scott said.
Darnell passed away in 2015, Chief Cst. Dave Jones said, but her family has been notified. Jones praised Darnell鈥檚 advocacy for seniors鈥� safety following the assault.
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