BETHESDA, MD — Authorities have charged a Virginia prison inmate in connection with two rapes that occurred in Montgomery County over 30 years ago, with police suggesting there may be additional victims.
An arrest warrant was issued on December 9, 2025, for Carl Rice Jr. from Mitchells, Virginia. He faces multiple serious charges, including two counts of first-degree rape and kidnapping, two counts of first-degree sexual offense, three counts of first-degree assault, and two counts of second-degree assault, according to a police news release. These charges are linked to two distinct incidents.
The first incident took place on June 24, 1988, when a woman was leaving the Friendship Heights Metro station. She was approached by an unidentified Black male, described at the time as approximately 18 to 19 years old, around 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a chubby face, and weighing between 150 and 160 pounds. The suspect forcibly pulled her across the street and sexually assaulted her.
The second incident occurred on September 19, 1990, when a female victim met a man who introduced himself as Kevin and offered her a ride home. When she felt uneasy and tried to exit the vehicle, the suspect physically restrained her and refused to let her go. He then drove to a location in Bethesda, where he sexually assaulted her.
In February 2025, detectives received a DNA match linked to evidence from the 1988 case, which led them to identify Rice as the suspect. Given that both incidents happened near the District of Columbia border, the investigation involved collaboration with the Washington, D.C., Metropolitan Police Department Cold Case Sex Assault Unit.
Currently, Rice is serving a sentence in Virginia and has a history of arrests for charges related to rape and sexual assault in other jurisdictions.
Detectives believe there may be more victims who have yet to come forward.
If you have any information or believe you may have been a victim of Rice, please reach out to the Montgomery County Department of Police Major Crimes Division at 240-773-5070 or contact Crime Solvers of Montgomery County toll-free at 1-866-411-TIPS (8477).
