Spokane7
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April 1, 2010 in City
DNA triggers arrest in 1999 rape case
A suspect was arrested this week in a rape that’s been unsolved for more than 10 years.
Robert C. Graham Jr., 30, appeared in Superior Court on Wednesday via video from the jail, where he’s been since his arrest on Tuesday.
He’s accused of raping a woman on Sept. 6, 1999, as she walked to work on Market Street about 4:10 a.m. The woman described her attacker as a young man she’d never seen before with “straight brown hair and pointy nose,” according to court documents.
Last fall, the Washington State Crime Lab matched DNA evidence from the crime with Graham’s DNA, which had only recently been obtained, said Spokane police Detective Harlen Harden.
Graham, a level 1 sex offender, was convicted of third-degree rape involving a 15-year-old victim in 2000. He has lived in the Deer Park and Colfax areas all his life and has been employed at a construction company for about a year, his public defender said.
His bond was set Wednesday at $25,000 for one count of second-degree rape.
Human trafficking suspects released 
misjustice on April 01 at 9:15 a.m.
Hopefully, now that detectives and officers, and the state’s crime lab have done the difficult work to bring this guy in, the prosecutting attorney’s office will do their job also. Prosecute, convict, and incarcerate! Great job SPD!!!
KarenFoster on April 01 at 10:17 a.m.
If WA started collecting DNA on all felony arrests we would be able to get predators, like this guy, behind bars much sooner. Many crimes would be prevented and lives could be saved. 23 states and the federal government already have passed legislation to collect DNA on felony arrest. It will save so much pain and reduce investigation time, prosecution time and court time. It will help balance the scales of justice. Waiting to collect DNA on conviction can take years. Many crimes will be plead down to a misdemeanor and DNA won’t get collected. Criminals get released with a slap on the wrist when, if DNA was taken, we may find out they were responsible for a murder, rape or other heinous crime. We need to collect DNA at the same time finger prints and mug shots are taken for all felony arrests.
Hope on June 16 at 4:53 p.m.
I am wondering why his DNA was just recently obtained? If he was convicted in 2000 and then had to register as a sex offender wouldn’t they already have taken his DNA? I feel awful for this woman now having to relive this nightmare almost eleven years later. May justice be fair and swift.