The Oxford Police Department (OPD) is investigating a man being held on attempted rape in Noblesville, Ind. regarding the unsolved January 2006 rape of a female Miami University student.
Sgt. Jim Squance of the OPD said the case was reopened for a task force that includes officers from OPD, Miami University Police, the Butler County Sheriff's Department, Fayette County Indiana Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. According to reports, a Miami female was bound and raped at her North Campus Avenue residence by an unidentified man Jan. 9, 2006.
"The goal is to rattle the bushes on this case to see if it leads anywhere," Squance said. "We thought it wouldn't hurt to get a fresh set of eyes on the facts."
Charles Robert Farmer, 32, is charged with six felonies in Noblesville regarding an incident that took place Nov. 26, according to Lt. Bruce Barnes of the Noblesville Police Department.
Barnes said Farmer allegedly posed as a flower delivery person at a woman's home, forced entry and assaulted her while her 3-year-old son was in the residence.
Barnes said that the victim produced a composite sketch of her assaulter that was released to local media, however, no leads resulted from the picture.
Barnes said that credit cards were taken from within the home as well and by tracking these credit cards, Noblesville police discovered a residence in Clarksville, Ind. believed to belong to Farmer's family where he sometimes stayed, according to Barnes.
"Once we tracked Farmer back to the residence in Clarksville, we were able to generate photos," Barnes said. "The victim then identified Farmer as her attacker in the photos."
With the help of the U.S. Marshal Service, Noblesville police tracked Farmer in Utah where he was arrested and extradited back to Indiana.
Barnes said Farmer is charged with six felonies-attempted rape, armed robbery with a knife, robbery while armed with a deadly weapon, confinement, criminal recklessness and theft.
Squance said the OPD became interested in the Indiana case because of its violent nature. The victim of the rape in Oxford told officers her attacker used duct tape and a ski mask.
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"There has always been a dogged determination (by OPD) to solve this particular case," Squance said. "It was a violent and truly heinous crime. (The perpetrator) posed real threat and danger to the Oxford community."
Barnes said Farmer was difficult to track because he takes temporary jobs in different places and also moves around.
"Our biggest concern at this point is working with other agencies that could also have been places where Farmer resided," Barnes said. "The responsible person needs to be brought to justice in a timely manor, and Farmer had the ability to be elusive without trouble."
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