A 20-year-old cold case has now been solved thanks to the diligent work of the New Westminster Police Department.
James Gray has been charged in a violent sexual assault of a 79-year-old grandmother that occurred on Oct. 4, 1996.
Police say in the early hours of that morning, Dorothy Darnel was viciously attacked in her home while she slept. She was so badly beaten that her cheekbone was shattered and she lost her sight in one eye. Police say after Darnel lost consciousness, the attacker sexually assaulted her.
At the time, forensic investigators found evidence at the scene and followed up on hundreds of tips that came in from across B.C. An artist’s rendition of the suspect was circulated and a $12,000 reward was offered by the New Westminster Police Board and a private donor for the arrest and charge of the suspect responsible.
Fast forward 20 years when a suspect left behind some DNA during a break-and-enter in Coquitlam in March, 2016. The New Westminster Major Crime Unit investigated the new evidence and the DNA match and was able to arrest and charge the 48-year-old.
Gray, a Vancouver resident, has now been charged with aggravated sexual assault, break-and-enter, forcible confinement, robbery, choking to overcome resistance and uttering threats.
A sketch of the suspect done in 1996:
Sadly, Darnel passed away in December, 2015 before Gray was arrested and charged.
“It means a great deal to me to see this 20 year old case has come to a close,” said Chief Const. Dave Jones, who assisted on the Darnel case in 1996. “Mrs. Darnel was a strong woman who shared this experience with other seniors and empowered them to take steps to protect their own safety.”
New Westminster media relations officer, Sgt. Jeff Scott, said the case would still be unsolved if it wasn’t for the “tenacious and persistent efforts of our Major Crime Unit and the piece of evidence provided by the Coquitlam RCMP. Their relentless pursuit of justice will now allow the Darnel family to close a very painful, yet important chapter in their family history.”
Anyone who may know something about an unsolved case can call the New Westminster Police Department non-emergency line at 604-525-5411.
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