GRAND CHUTE (NBC 26) — A man is under arrest in connection to a 21-year-old cold case.
Grand Chute Police said Monday the cold case was a kidnapping and sexual assault that happened near the Fox River Mall back in February 2000.
On February 12th, 2000, police said a 16-year-old girl who worked at the mall was leaving after her shift had ended when she was confronted by a stranger in the parking lot. Police said the suspect displayed a handgun and instructed the victim to get into her vehicle and move to the passenger seat.
Police said the suspect then entered her vehicle and drove it to a nearby location where he sexually assaulted her. After the assault, the suspect fled and wasn't immediately caught. Investigators at the time were unable to identify the suspect.
Police said before the assault, the suspect had seen the victim inside the store where she worked and had waited outside for her to leave the store at the end of her shift.
According to Grand Chute Police, in April 2000, investigators learned that this sexual assault was linked through DNA evidence to a 1999 sexual assault that happened in Janesville.
In September 2019, police said a detective was assigned to the case for further investigation, which ultimately resulted in identifying a suspect. This past Friday, police said 51-year-old John E.W. Carter was taken into custody in Wisconsin Rapids.
John Carter has been charged in Outagamie County Circuit Court with First Degree Sexual Assault and Kidnapping, Use of a Dangerous Weapon. He will make his initial appearance Monday afternoon.
