Fayetteville Police have cleared an 11-year-old cold case. Nearly two dozen dated rape cases have been cleared by the Cold Case Sexual Assault Unit of the FPD’s Special Victims Bureau, said Lt. John Somerindyke. The department filed charges last week against a double murderer who’s serving a life sentence in state prison. Keith Devon Manuel, 40, is accused of raping the victim at her home near South Reilly and Cliffdale Roads on August 26, 2006. 

“Manuel broke into the residence while the victim was inside,” said police spokesman Lt. Todd Joyce. Additional forensic testing not available at the time of the crime resulted in charges being filed. Manuel is charged with 1st-degree rape, 1st-degree sex offense, 1st-degree kidnapping and 1st-degree burglary. “Manuel was already in custody before these charges were taken out and is currently serving a life sentence in prison for the murder of Jessica Morgan and the murder of Alfreda S. Jones,” added Joyce. The double homicide occurred in the county and was investigated by the Cumberland County Sheriff’s Office.

“There are about 200 cases … reported between 1984 and 1999 that are still unresolved,” said  Somerindyke. He made that statement in the fall of 2015 and said they had “taken out warrants in 21 cold rape cases” since then. The unit began operating in early 2015. The department received a $363,000 federal grant two years ago to turn up the heat on accused rapists.