A breakthrough in a decades-old cold case occurred with the arrest of 57-year-old Michael Benjamin in Georgia. He faces charges related to a series of rapes that took place in Queens, New York, during the 1990s. According to information obtained by NBC New York, Benjamin's arrest came following a fingerprint match from the scene of the crimes that was reevaluated with new technology in 2024.
The suspect, connected to nearly a dozen rapes between August 1991 and February 1997, was apprehended by the Georgia Sheriff's Offices. Authorities have begun assembling a detailed account of the crimes that took place in the easternmost part of Queens. As reported by NY Daily News, Benjamin was charged with five rapes, including an instance where one victim was attacked twice, with a modus operandi of entering the homes of his victims through windows during the early hours.
Benjamin’s DNA had been pre-indicted years earlier, a legal strategy used by prosecutors to pause the statute of limitations, allowing for prosecution once he was identified. This measure remained in effect until advances in fingerprint technology led to his identification. According to New York State records, Benjamin has a prior conviction for attempted rape in July 1990 and is registered as a level three sex offender.
One victim told police that the suspect returned to assault her a second time, nearly a year after the first attack, according to NY Daily News. The investigation, led by the NYPD Special Victims Unit's cold case detectives, has progressed after years without resolution. Michael Benjamin is expected to be arraigned in Queens State Supreme Court.
