Roanoke Rapids police Chief Chuck Hasty said this afternoon investigators believe it was Wade Carter’s intent to sexually assault the Raleigh Street victim before the 88-year-old woman shot him the morning of May 24.
According to a statement released this afternoon, Carter, 54, also faces charges for an attempted burglary at the home of the Raleigh Street victim going back to December 23 of last year.
Hasty said the new warrants against Carter, who is still in custody in the May crime in the 500 block of Raleigh Street, are expected to be served by Friday.
Pinning the new charges on Carter, Hasty said this afternoon, came from a thorough review of any cases with the same MO. Carter reportedly had knowledge about the victims and their living situations.
“Officers and investigators had collected evidence from the various crime scenes,” the police chief said. “Besides collecting evidence the officers and investigators went back on these older cases to find out if Mr. Carter had a connection to these areas. After we did the case review we had a gut feeling he was the guy responsible for all of these crimes but waited until the full analysis by the State Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab of all the evidence.”
Hasty said the police department got the analysis back within a month thanks to the priority order filed by District Attorney Valerie Asbell and “the work of those at the SBI Crime Lab. It was a fantastic job.”
Warrants have been filed against Carter for the following crimes:
Burglary, first-degree rape, kidnapping and larceny after breaking/entering, for a crime reported on December 9, 2017, in the 300 block of Taylor Street. The victim reported they were awakened by a suspect standing over them. The suspect then sexually assaulted the victim, and before the suspect left, he took items from the residence.
Attempted burglary and injury to property, for a matter at the Raleigh Street victim’s house from December 23, 2017. The victim reported finding damage to their door, where someone had unsuccessfully tried to break into the residence.
Burglary, attempted first-degree rape, common law robbery, assault inflicting serious bodily injury and kidnapping for an April 14 crime in the 300 block of Monroe Street. The victim reported waking up to their alarm going off and finding the suspect standing over them. The suspect then attempted to sexually assault the victim and demanded money. Before the suspect left, he physically assaulted the victim by hitting them in the face and causing injury.
First-degree rape, common law robbery and kidnapping for a May 15, crime in the 800 block of Jackson Street. The victim reported they were awakened by footsteps inside the residence coming up the stairway. The victim attempted to close the bedroom door, but the suspect forced his way inside. Once inside the bedroom, the suspect sexually assaulted the victim and then demanded cash from the victim. The suspect wanted the victim to drive him to get more cash from an ATM. When they went outside to get in the vehicle, the victim was able to drive off and report the crime.
A search warrant was obtained for a DNA sample from Carter while he was being treated at the hospital for the gunshot wound he received on May 24.
In the statement Hasty said, on May 25 investigators received Carter’s DNA sample and sent it to the SBI Crime Lab along with evidence collected at the other crime scenes for comparison and a possible match. “The Roanoke Rapids Police Department obtained priority testing for all submitted evidence, as requested from elected District Attorney Valerie Asbell. Over the past two weeks, the results have been coming back from the lab connecting Mr. Carter to these crimes.”
The investigation is ongoing at this time.
