Records detail extensive criminal history for rape suspect
ATLANTA (FOX 5 Atlanta) - Jail, police, and court documents reveal the man arrested in connection to the rape of an Atlanta woman at the end of May has an extensive criminal history.
Demetrius Abercrombie, 42, was arrested Tuesday and charged with rape, sodomy, kidnapping, false imprisonment, and burglary. It happened a little after 4 p.m. on May 31. Atlanta Police said Abercrombie entered a unit in the Colonial Square apartments off Old Hapeville Road and Cleveland Avenue SW, just east of Interstate 75 through an unlocked door. The victim was able to give police enough details to create a sketch of the man.
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According to a police report the victim had been at the hospital since the attack. She came home to find her apartment broken into, her TV, laptop, and washer and dryer missing. Detectives said fingerprints led them to Abercrombie. Police said they were able to link the second break-in to Abercrombie, who investigators said also matched the description of the sexual assault suspect.
"To me, it takes a sick and twisted individual that would commit a sexual assault, then four days later return to that location to steal from that location-- or maybe try to encounter that victim again," said Lt. Jeff Baxter from Atlanta Police.
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Police said Abercrombie has an extensive criminal record with prior rapes in 2005 and burglary in 2012. That 2005 rape in the East Point area involved the mother of his infant child. Prosecutors ultimately dismissed the rape and burglary charges because the victim immediately recanted to police after the alleged incident occurred, and refused to cooperate through the course of the investigation.
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Abercrombie pleaded guilty to false imprisonment in that case in 2008. He was sentenced to 5 years in prison commuted to time served with the remaining 4 years and 11 months on probation.
Police Abercrombie has been arrested 23 times since the mid-1990s for charges including and burglary and drug possession.
“We want to link him to as many crimes as he is responsible for,” said Lt. Baxter
Investigators now working to match Abercrombie’s DNA to unsolved rapes.
“We will look at him for all of our open rapes. We don’t take him lightly,” said Lt. Baxter.
Abercrombie remained in the Fulton County Jail Wednesday evening. It was not immediately clear if he had legal representation.
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