In December 1994, a 19-year-old female was kidnapped near Brescia University, assaulted in Owensboro, then taken to Indiana where the assault continued, according to the Owensboro Police Department. ODP recently conducted a review of the case, leading to the arrest of the suspect.
OPD’s Criminal Investigations Division contacted the Indiana State Police Laboratory, who advised they still had DNA evidence on file that was entered prior to the development of the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS). ISP was asked to reopen their case and to retest the DNA, which developed a potential suspect.
OPD and ISP conducted a joint investigation and a search warrant was executed following up on the new lead.
On March 22, 2023, OPD detectives received a DNA match that led to the confirmed identification of the suspect in the cold case.
On March 24, 2023, the Brookford Police Department in North Carolina served an OPD warrant on Robert Shelton (59, of Hickory, NC) on the charges of kidnapping and first-degree sexual abuse. Shelton also faces charges of rape from the Indiana State Police in connection to the cold case, according to OPD.
OPD said the following agencies assisted in the investigation:
- Indiana State Police
- Hickory Police Department (North Carolina)
- BrookfordPoliceDepartment(NorthCarolina)
- Catawba County Sheriff’s Office (North Carolina)
- North Carolina Probation and Parole
