DNA lead brings arrest in rape case from 1999

A suspect arrested this month in Georgia has been returned to Raleigh to face numerous felony charges.

James Bernard Henderson, 40, is charged with first degree rape, first degree sex offense, first degree burglary and first degree kidnapping. The charges stem from an attack that occurred more than seven years ago -- during the early hours of Sept. 7, 1999.

The victim, who was 28 at the time, was awakened and assaulted by an armed suspect who had entered her apartment. The suspect fled the scene after committing the crimes and had remained unidentified.

In March 2006, the victim's sexual assault evidence kit was submitted to the SBI as part of a statewide initiative to perform DNA testing on unsolved rape cases. On March 21, 2007, the Raleigh Police Department was notified that DNA present in the kit had been matched to Henderson.

RPD Special Victims Unit detectives, who had initiated a re-examination of the case before receiving the DNA match, conducted additional investigation and determined that Henderson was likely residing in Hephzibah, Ga. He was arrested there April 6 by U.S. marshals.

Henderson is in custody at the Wake County jail.