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Murder, rape charges filed against Texas inmate in Fayetteville cold cases

A Texas inmate was charged Monday with murder and rape in connection with a series of Fayetteville cold cases. The announcement comes six months after investigators said DNA evidence linked him to the crimes.

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William Razor III, Texas inmate tied to Fayetteville crimes
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — A Texas inmate was charged Monday with murder and rape in connection with a series of Fayetteville cold cases. The announcement comes six months after investigators said DNA evidence linked him to the crimes.

William Everette Razor III, 46, is charged with first-degree murder, two counts of first-degree rape, first-degree kidnapping and two counts of common law robbery. Razor may face additional charges, authorities said.

Razor is accused of the following:

  • On June 21, 2005, a woman was taking trash to a dumpster at the Budget Inn II on Eastern Boulevard when a man engaged her in conversation. He then assaulted her, carried her to a vacant motel room and raped her.
  • On Feb. 16, 2007, April Kemp, 39, was found beaten to death in the parking lot of the Red Carpet Inn (formerly known as the Budget Inn) on Eastern Boulevard. She died of blunt force trauma to the head.
  • On Dec. 2, 2009, a woman engaged in conversation with a man outside her Red Carpet Inn room. The man then entered her room, raped her and held her in the room for several hours.

Razor was arrested in Killeen, Texas, in 2012 for violent assaults against women. He was convicted and sentenced to 18 years in prison.

After his Texas arrest, his DNA was entered into a national database and matched evidence found at the Fayetteville crime scenes, police said.

Authorities said it took so long for Razor to be formally charged because they were awaiting lab results.

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