January 2, 2008

Biological evidence led CMPD's Sexual Assault Cold Case detectives to identify and charge two suspects in two separate crimes from 2000.

Christopher Lynn Porter (DOB 12/05/1976) pled guilty today and received a sentence of 151-191 months for the June 6, 2000 rape of a woman off Milton Road on Barrington Drive (20000604-070500).  

At approximately 7:00 a.m. on June 4, 2000, the victim was walking home when the suspect first approached her. A few minutes later he returned with a bandana covering his face and forced her at knifepoint behind some apartments where her robbed and raped her.                                            

Porter has been in custody in South Carolina on federal drug charges and was brought to Mecklenburg County to face charges of first degree rape, first degree kidnapping and robbery with a dangerous weapon.  He will be returned to the South Carolina prison to serve the remainder of that sentence. When released in 2011, he will be brought back to Mecklenburg County to serve the sentence in this case.

Porter

Michael Watson (DOB 05/09/1974) was arrested December 21, 2007 in New Orleans on a fugitive warrant for the June 11, 2000 sexual assault of a 16-year-old girl off Wilkinson Boulevard (20000611-031800).

Shortly after 3 AM on June 11, 2000, the victims (father and daughter) were at a storage facility loading papers for delivery when the suspect, armed with a shotgun, approached them. The suspect restrained the father, robbed them and then drove around with the daughter before sexually assaulting her.

Watson was transported to Charlotte and has been charged with two counts of first degree sexual assault, 2 counts of kidnapping and 2 counts of robbery with a dangerous weapon. He is being held in the Mecklenburg County Jail.

Watson

CMPD formed the Sexual Assault Cold Case Unit in January 2006. It is staffed with two detectives and one volunteer whose main purpose is to review older cases with the anticipation of uncovering new leads that may point them to the identity of the suspect(s).