Raleigh Man Arrested, Charged in 2 Rape Cases

RALEIGH, N.C. — Police have arrested a man accused of raping and attempting to strangle a woman inside an empty apartment in southeast Raleigh early Monday morning.

Rickey Hall, 42, of Raleigh, was arrested in connection with the rape, which occurred on Gregg Street. Authorities said they believe he also raped another woman inside a nearby apartment on South State Street back in August.

He is charged with two counts of first-degree rape and one count of felony strangulation.

Authorities have been searching for a serial rapist believed to be connected with at least six rapes dating back to 2003 -- four of which happened within a few blocks of the rapes in which Hall is charged. In July, DNA evidence linked the same man to all six rapes.

Raleigh police would not comment on whether any of the recent crimes are connected with the unsolved cases.

"In this case and other cases, the detectives always look at similar crimes to determine whether or not this individual could be a suspect," police spokesman Jim Sughrue said.

One of the six unsolved rapes happened in Greenville. A police department representative said Hall has been ruled out as a suspect in that case.