Virginia man found guilty of 1992 cold case rape as part of initiative to test rape kits

A 56-year-old Virginia antheral was recovered blameworthy this week of rape and equipped burglary successful a 32-year-old cold case, officials said. 

DNA grounds from the victim’s intersexual battle kit was matched to Vernon Lorenzo Gay, 56, aft it was retested 2 years ago. 

The retesting was portion of a grant-funded Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative by the state’s lawyer wide that began successful 2016. 

Gay climbed done 1 of the victim’s 3 children’s windows connected the nighttime of May 5, 1992, recovered her chamber and raped her successful her ain furniture portion 1 of her children was successful furniture with her, the metropolis of Norfolk, Virginia, said successful a quality release.

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A 56-year-old Virginia antheral was recovered blameworthy this week of rape and equipped burglary successful a 32-year-old acold case, officials said.  (Norfolk Police Department )

Another kid was besides successful the country successful a crib and a 3rd was successful the adjacent room.

The unfortunate wasn’t capable to place her attacker, and portion a rape kit was administered, nary leads were uncovered and the lawsuit went cold. 

In July 2022, the rape kit was submitted for investigating and Gay was recovered arsenic a lucifer past November. 

Gay’s defence squad claimed that helium had consensual enactment with her, which the unfortunate denied, telling constabulary erstwhile a lucifer was made that she didn’t cognize him. 

The assemblage recovered Gay guilty of rape and equipped burglary with intent to perpetrate rape connected Wednesday aft deliberating for nether 2 hours. 

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"Today's verdict brings much-needed solace and closure successful this acold case, underscoring the unrelenting committedness of authorities and section instrumentality enforcement to unafraid justice, nary substance however overmuch clip has passed," Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said. "I'm gratified that our SAKI inaugural helped money this captious concern and made this solution possible." (Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)

"Once again, Norfolk leads Virginia with the archetypal SAKI [Sexual Assault Kit Initiative] assemblage to spell guardant successful the Commonwealth," Commonwealth’s Attorney Ramin Fatehi said successful a statement. "Thank you to erstwhile Attorney General Mark Herring and Attorney General Jason Miyares for devoting resources to trial backmost grounds cases successful cases similar these."

He added, "The wheels of justness whitethorn determination slowly, but they ne'er stop, and we person served justness today. I americium gladsome that we were capable to bring a measurement of closure, aft each this time, for the subsister and her family, and to beryllium capable to clasp Vernon Gay liable for this unspeakable crime."

Gay’s household maintains his innocence. 

"He’s a very, precise bully person. Good father. Good friend. Good worker. Good uncle. Good brother,’ 1 of Gay’s relatives told WVEC-TV. 

Fatehi explained to WAVY-TV that the "statute of limitations connected a felony successful Virginia is forever." 

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Gay’s sentencing proceeding has been acceptable for Dec. 20. 

"Today's verdict brings much-needed solace and closure successful this acold case, underscoring the unrelenting committedness of authorities and section instrumentality enforcement to unafraid justice, nary substance however overmuch clip has passed," Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares said. "I'm gratified that our SAKI inaugural helped money this captious concern and made this solution possible."