CHEROKEE COUNTY: DNA Evidence Cracks 1986 Rape Case After Nearly Four Decades, a resident listed in public arrest records, was taken into custody on April 5, 2025, in Featured County, Georgia. According to the official booking report, the arrest was made by local authorities and the subject was charged with the following offense(s): unspecified charges. This incident was officially recorded and made publicly available by law enforcement agencies in the state of Georgia. The details provided reflect the arrest information at the time of booking and do not indicate guilt or conviction. All suspects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
CHEROKEE COUNTY, Ga. – Cold Case Breakthrough: DNA Links Fulton County Sex Offender to 1986 Rape
A decades-old sexual assault case in Cherokee County has been solved thanks to modern DNA technology, officials announced this week.
Deputies arrested 76-year-old Thomas Lamar Keith, a registered sex offender from Atlanta, in connection with the 1986 rape of a 19-year-old woman. Investigators say Keith abducted the young woman as she was getting into her car after closing a convenience store on Hickory Flat Highway. He then transported her to a separate location, where he raped her.
Though a sexual assault kit was collected at the time, forensic testing capabilities in the 1980s were limited, and the case went cold.
Recently, however, a review of the evidence led investigators to reprocess the kit using advanced DNA technology. A match in the national CODIS (Combined DNA Index System) database identified Keith as the suspect.
Keith was arrested Monday and charged with rape and kidnapping. He is currently being held without bond at the Cherokee County Adult Detention Center. Records show that Keith was previously convicted in 2003 for child molestation and cruelty to children.
Cherokee County Sheriff Frank Reynolds praised the efforts of investigators and emphasized the importance of justice for victims — no matter how long it takes.
“This arrest represents a significant moment in our pursuit of justice,” Reynolds said. “We hope it brings a sense of closure and peace to the survivor after all these years.”
Authorities are now looking into another unsolved sexual assault case from 1986 that may also be connected to Keith. That investigation is ongoing.
Disclaimer: All data provided here is taken from public arrest records. This publication does not imply guilt or final conviction.
More Arrests in Featured on April 5, 2025
No other arrests found on this date in Featured.
