Police seek DNA, other evidence in alleged Duke fraternity assault
DURHAM (WTVD) -- New search warrants show police have sought DNA evidence and other records from seven people as they investigate a woman's claim she was drugged and sexually assaulted during a fraternity party held by Duke University's Alpha Delta Phi.
The alleged assault took place Jan. 8 at the Alpha Delta Phi fraternity house in the 2500 block of West Chapel Hill Road. The private home is leased to members of the fraternity.
According to a search warrant obtained by ABC11 Tuesday, the Duke student told investigators she attended the party with a friend. She said one of the frat members offered to show her his bedroom. She refused and returned to the party.
She said she was poured a drink of what she was told was "hot chocolate." She said she smelled it and couldn't detect alcohol, "so she thought it was safe."
The next thing she remembered was waking up the following afternoon in a T-shirt she did not recognize and wearing no underwear. The leggings she had been wearing were lying on the floor next to the bed and appeared to be torn.
A text message on the woman's phone said "HA HA, YOU WENT BACK WITH A KID I KNOW... YOU'RE SCREWED."
The woman went to the Duke University Medical Center Emergency Room where she was examined for evidence of rape. The search warrant released Tuesday shows investigators found containers that held the hot chocolate at the West Chapel Hill Road house along with women's underwear and blood stains.
New warrants made public Thursday show investigators have asked for information from seven people - none of whom have been charged. ABC11 is not making the names public for that reason. They are one 18-year-old, three 19-year-olds, and three 21-year-olds. One of the 19-year-olds is female.
Five of the six males submitted DNA samples.
Police are also looking at phone records that show text messages between fraternity members.
And they are looking at the GPS tracker on the victim's phone. It shows her on the same street the fraternity house is on between 11:02 p.m. and 3:23 a.m. on Jan. 8. After that, it shows her phone on South LaSalle Street from 3:31 a.m. until 4:05 a.m. According to the search warrant, the man who left the party with the victim lives on South LaSalle. Then at 4:15 a.m., it shows the victim's phone arriving on the street where is her dorm is located.
Duke University said earlier this week that Alpha Delta Phi has been placed on interim suspension while the investigation goes on.
