Fayetteville PD Investigation and Prosecution of Cold Case Sexual Assaults

The funding received from the FY24 SAKI grant will give the Fayetteville Police Department the sustainability to investigate cases that may have gone cold previously due to leads being exhausted in the investigation. In 2015, the Fayetteville Police Department created a Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit with a dedicated detective to investigate previously unsolved sexual assault cases. Additional funding to support overtime pay for case investigations, additional staffing to assist with investigations, specialized prosecution, genetic genealogy testing, continued advocacy, and proper training, are all essential to continuing efforts to provide closure for our survivors of sexual assault.

By continuing to retain a full-time specialized Cold Case Sexual Assault Prosecutor, cold cases will continue to be reviewed, prepped, and successfully prosecuted; these cases could otherwise be deferred by current Assistant District Attorneys that already have large backlogs of active cases. In addition, by having a dedicated cold case prosecutor, victims will be ensured a thorough and timely prosecution so they may receive the closure they deserve.

A portion of the funding will be utilized to facilitate and sustain additional genetic genealogy testing, which has been used previously in solving cases for the unit that otherwise would have come to a dead end. The funding will be used to continue to keep a Civilian Cold Case Investigator position, which has proven to be an extremely valuable asset to the unit and integral in the continued success in investigating cold case sexual assaults. This project will continue to be successful primarily through partnership with the Cumberland County District Attorney’s Office and the Phoenix Center, formerly the Rape Crisis Volunteers of Cumberland County and will ensure that a complete victim-centered approach is taken in the investigation, prosecution, and healing process for survivors of sexual assault in the area.