PIKESVILLE, MD—A Cecil County grand jury has handed down an indictment charging a suspect in connection with a twenty-year-old attempted murder and rape investigation.

The accused is identified as Bryant Nakia White, 48, of Edgewood. The indictment charges White with attempted second-degree murder, kidnapping, first- and second-degree rape, assault, and other criminal charges related to the 2002 incident. White is currently being held at the Cecil County Detention Center without bail.

On April 6, 2002, a 20-year-old woman was the victim of a brutal attack that left her unconscious and in a ditch off of Frenchtown Road near Port Deposit. Police received a 9-1-1 call shortly after 4:00 a.m. that morning by the driver of a tractor-trailer who noticed her on the side of the road on I-95. He stopped to provide assistance.

Troopers and EMS personnel responded to the scene. The victim was immediately provided with medical assistance and subsequently transported to an area hospital.

During the initial investigation, the scene was processed by crime scene technicians from the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division where numerous items were collected, including photographs. The initial investigation also included a forensic medical examination where DNA was collected and stored as evidence. During the course of the investigation, few leads were generated and the investigation was ultimately suspended.

In March 2020, an investigator from the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division re-opened the 2002 case for the alleged attempted murder and rape in Cecil County. Since the date of the incident until March 2020, investigators were unable to obtain any DNA hits for the suspect.

The Maryland State Police requested assistance from the FBI Baltimore Division regarding their use of investigative genealogy. A person of interest, Bryant White, was ultimately identified and arrested at his home on November 10, 2022 without incident in connection with the 2002 criminal case.

Investigators from the Maryland State Police Criminal Enforcement Division are leading the investigation. Assistance is being provided by troopers from the Homicide Unit, Maryland State Police Apprehension Team and personnel from the Maryland State Police Forensics Sciences Division. Assistance is also being provided by the U.S. Marshal’s Service, Homeland Security Investigations, and from the Harford County Sheriff’s Office.

The Cecil County State’s Attorney’s Office convened a grand jury. Evidence developed during the investigation was presented to the grand jury. The grand jury deliberated and handed down the indictment on December 7, 2022.

The identification of the victim is withheld due to the nature of the crimes committed. The case remains under investigation.