Detectives with the Charlotte‑Mecklenburg Police Department’s (CMPD) Cold Case Unit, with assistance from CMPD’s Violent Criminal Apprehension Team (VCAT) and the Asheville Police Department, have arrested and charged Eric Lee Howard, 48, in connection with a 27‑year‑old sexual assault cold case.
On the night of Jan. 9, 1999, a resident of Charlotte, North Carolina reported that an unknown male had forced entry to her home wearing a ski mask and sexually assaulted her. DNA was collected from the victim and entered into the CODIS database using traditional DNA testing, but no hit was returned.
In 1999, a DNA profile was obtained from evidence and entered into CODIS. Cold case detectives continued investigating the case for decades.
In 2022, the DNA sample was submitted to Parabon Nanolabs for further testing and a SNP profile suitable for genetic genealogy was developed.
Later, in 2025, Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center was consulted and students in Ramapo’s IGG Bootcamp began work on the case. A number of volunteers continued work on the case following bootcamp, and an investigative lead was developed—which was then turned over to the investigating agency.
In 2025, CMPD Cold Case Detectives, with assistance from the Asheville Police Department, located Howard in Asheville, N.C. In 2026, additional DNA testing confirmed Howard as the suspect in the 1999 assault.
Howard is charged with the following:
- First‑Degree Burglary
- First Degree Kidnapping
- Two Counts of Second‑Degree Rape
- Second‑Degree Sexual Offense
- Attempted Second‑Degree Sexual Offense
CMPD Cold Case Detectives would like to thank the CMPD Crime Laboratory, Ramapo College of New Jersey IGG Center, Parabon NanoLabs and the Federal SAKI Grant, which funded additional outside laboratory testing.
Republished courtesy of CMPD