Cold Case Unit Identifies Offender in Sexual Assault Investigation

Published on April 02, 2025

Charlotte, N.C. (Wednesday, April 2, 2025) — Detectives with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department’s (CMPD) Cold Case Unit have identified a suspect in a 32-year-old cold case investigation.

In the early morning hours of Dec. 25, 1993, officers and crime scene investigators responded to a report of a burglary and sexual assault. When officers arrived, the victim was transported to the hospital for treatment and the collection of a sexual assault kit. With no leads at the time, the case eventually went cold.

In 2022, utilizing grant funds from the Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), evidence from the case was sent to BODE Technology for analysis. This resulted in the discovery of a partial male DNA sample from the initial evidence. Subsequently, a search in the State Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) generated a match to the partial DNA sample, identifying North Carolina convicted felon Tony G. Leslie, 48, as a suspect in this case.

Detectives with the CMPD Cold Case Unit interviewed Leslie at Scotland County Correctional Institution, where he is serving a 13-year prison sentence for several 2019 first-degree burglary convictions.

Following the interview, the Cold Case Prosecutor indicted Leslie on charges of first-degree rape and burglary.

On Monday, March 17, 2025, Leslie pleaded guilty to first-degree burglary and was sentenced to an additional 14 years in prison, to be served consecutively with his current sentence.

This outcome was made possible through the collaborative efforts of the CMPD Cold Case Unit, the CMPD Crime Laboratory, SAKI funding, BODE Technology and the Mecklenburg County District Attorney’s Office.

The victim has been notified of these developments.

Anyone with information regarding cold cases is encouraged to contact the CMPD Cold Case Unit at 704-432-1600 (TIPS).

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