Commonwealth of Virginia
Office of the Attorney General
Jay Jones
Attorney General
202 North 9th Street
Richmond, Virginia 23219
804-786-2071
FAX 804-786-1991
Virginia Relay Service
800-828-1120
For media inquiries only, contact:
Rae Pickett
RPickett@oag.state.va.us
Paste copy here
Richmond Jury Convicts Man for Sexual Assault in a 34-year-old Cold Case
RICHMOND, Va. -- On June 15, 2026, thanks to the evolution of DNA technology, Maurice Muhammad Moore was sentenced to life in prison for a crime he committed in 1992. Original DNA testing was unable to identify a suspect at the time. Over three decades after the crime was committed, the kit was retested under an Office of the Attorney General Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) grant program using state-of-the-art DNA testing. This new testing identified Moore as the primary suspect through a Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) hit.
“The Virginia Sexual Assault Kit Initiative has brought resolution and justice to a case that had gone unsolved for far decades, delivering justice for the victim of this heinous crime and bringing closure to the victim’s family and loved ones. I’m proud of the dedication and close collaboration between the Richmond City Police Department, Richmond City Commonwealth Attorney’s Office, and my office’s SAKI team, which brought this cold case to a just resolution,” said Attorney General Jay Jones. “My office will continue to provide every resource available to law enforcement agencies across the Commonwealth and work to support sexual assault victims, always.”
Moore was convicted for rape and armed burglary and found guilty on March 12, 2026. He was then sentenced to life in prison in June.
Published on: June 26, 2026
###