CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. — Nearly 40 years after a 19-year-old woman was kidnapped and attacked in Cherokee County, an arrest has been made.
The Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office says DNA matching helped them identify Thomas Lamar Keith, now 76, as the suspect.
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In January 1986, investigators say the young woman was closing up at the convenience store on Hickory Flat Highway where she worked. As she got into her car, she was attacked and taken to another location where she was sexually assaulted.
At the time, a sexual assault kit was collected, but DNA technology was not advanced enough to determine a match.
The sheriff’s office says deputies arrested Keith on Monday and charged him with rape and kidnapping. He is currently a registered sex offender in Fulton County.
“I never thought this day would ever come. I want to thank the Cherokee Sheriff’s Office and the detectives who worked this case. Thank you for never giving up. You all have restored my faith in the justice system,” the victim, who asked not to be identified, shared in a statement.
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Investigators say they are currently working another sexual assault case from 1986 that has also been linked to Keith.
“This arrest is a huge step towards getting much deserved justice for our victims no matter how much time has passed. We hope it brings some measure of peace to the survivor,” said Sheriff Frank Reynolds.
Keith is currently being held in the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center.
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