‘Time catches up to us all eventually’: Elderly man gets life sentence after DNA connects him to 1980s rapes
09/16/2026 6:00 am PDT
BALTIMORE COUNTY, Md. (TCN) -- A 73-year-old man has been sentenced to life in prison after being convicted of rape, sex offense, and burglary charges in connection with rapes in 1982 and 1986.
According to charging documents obtained by CBS News, James Shipe Sr. raped five women in Cockeysville, Maryland, between 1978 and 1986. He raped the first victim after breaking into her home and was connected to four rapes in other apartment units twice in 1982 and twice in 1986. Police said that all the rapes happened within a 1-mile radius.
During the attacks, Shipe wore a dark windbreaker and would rip out the victims’ phone cords before leaving the home, WBAL reports. Shipe was arrested in 1998 for peeping in the area where the attacks occurred and was sentenced to two years of probation.
The Baltimore Banner reports Shipe was originally charged in the five rapes that occurred between 1978 and 1986, but two of the victims died. In the third case, prosecutors dropped the charges following a judge’s denial of a postponement request.
Historical police records, including statements from victims and arrest records, helped police identify Shipe as a suspect. Following the execution of a search and seizure warrant in June 2023 to collect his DNA, the sample was analyzed alongside forensic evidence and he was connected to two rapes, one in 1982 and one in 1986, according to CBS News. He was arrested on Aug. 2, 2023.
Shipe was found guilty of rape, sex offense, and burglary charges on Sept. 14 and was sentenced to life in prison, per CBS News.
According to the Baltimore Banner, Assistant State’s Attorney John Magee said in closing, “Time marches on. Times catches up to us all eventually. … It took much longer than we had hoped, but time caught up to James Shipe.”
The two victims, whose names have not been released, spoke at the sentencing. According to the Baltimore Banner, one of them said, “We are strong, resilient women — and we have persevered.” The other victim said, “After 40 years and one day, this has absolutely been a miracle in my life.”
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