Albany County District Attorney Lee C. Kindlon announced today that a 50-year-old Albany man who is serving a 45-year sentence in state prison for raping and kidnapping young females has now been charged with the 2005 stabbing death of Gretchen Perham.
Darius Ashley was arraigned on a six-count, sealed indictment in front of acting State Supreme Court Justice Roger McDonough Friday morning, charging him with two counts of Murder in the First Degree, Murder in the Second Degree, Kidnapping in the First Degree, Attempted Rape in the First Degree, and Sexual Abuse in the First Degree.
Perham, 14, left her home at 324 Quail St. on the morning of May 13, 2005, to head to Hackett Middle School. She was last seen walking on Myrtle Avenue, but never made it to school. Her body was found later that day by a Department of General Services employee down an embankment across from 100 Mount Hope Drive.
During the investigation, Albany Police believed Ashley was a suspect, but DNA evidence in 2005 was inconclusive. As a result of advances in DNA technology in recent years, members of the Albany County District Attorney’s Office, Albany Police and the New York State Police Forensic Investigation Center reevaluated and reexamined old evidence with new testing.
Albany Police now believe Ashley abducted and killed Perham that morning.
“Despite the best efforts of law enforcement, the leads in this case grew cold and no arrests were made. That is, until today,” DA Kindlon said. “This is an expression of our care for our community. When done well, our criminal justice system is a collective promise to look out for one another enough to seek justice, no matter how long the path or how high the hurdle.”
Ashley, who is currently incarcerated at Coxsackie Correctional Facility, pleaded not guilty and was remanded to the custody of the New York State Department of Corrections and Community Supervision.
If found guilty, he faces up to life in prison on the new charges.
Assistant District Attorney Ryan Carty, Bureau Chief of Local Courts and Training Unit, is prosecuting the case alongside Deputy Chief Assistant District Attorney Jessica Blain-Lewis.
ALL DEFENDANTS ARE PRESUMED INNOCENT UNTIL PROVEN OTHERWISE.
