A Durham jury has convicted a Raleigh man in what prosecutors described as a prolonged, violent assault on his former partner, and a judge on Monday followed with a punishment that could keep him locked up for the rest of his life. In a written statement, the woman said she is now "done with asking myself why" after the attack left her badly injured and hospitalized.
Arrest recorded in Durham police report
The Durham Police Department’s third-quarter 2024 crime report lists an arrest on Sept. 2, 2024, charging Chano Wiggins with a series of sex- and violence-related offenses, including forcible rape and kidnapping. The public report documents the original arrest and the charges that formed the backbone of the case, according to Durham Police Department.
Jury convicts and judge imposes decades behind bars
According to The News & Observer, a jury last week found Wiggins guilty of first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping, a first-degree forcible sex offense, breaking and entering and assault inflicting serious injury. Superior Court Judge Timothy Wilson on June 22 sentenced him to a minimum of 41 years and a maximum of 55 years and three months in prison, with 242 days credit for time served. Court documents and reporting state that the woman was rescued on Sept. 2, 2024, after she texted a friend to call 911. Officers found her badly beaten and hospitalized, and she later told the paper she is "done with asking myself why."
In custody and what the sentence means
Durham County’s online inmate roster shows Wiggins remains in custody following the sentence, reflecting that he was remanded after the hearing, according to the Durham County Sheriff. At 48, Wiggins faces what amounts to a life term if he serves even the minimum; by that calculation he would be about 89 or 90 on release, underscoring just how long the court expects him to stay behind bars.
Background: earlier allegations and court history
Reporting and court records show Wiggins had been accused previously, including an April 2018 allegation in Apex that prosecutors later dismissed in October 2019 for insufficient evidence. He also had a prior Durham conviction in 2022 for assault on the same woman, for which he served 100 days. Those details are outlined in reporting and court documents reviewed by The News & Observer, which covered the trial and the survivor’s statement.
