2008 Rape Suspect Convicted & Sentenced To Prison

Suspect has been a registered sex offender since 1998

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Ormond Beach, FL - The suspect in an almost decade-old rape case is convicted and sentenced to prison.

According to the Volusia Sheriff's Office,  Adam Shuman was 31 back in 2008 when he stalked, cornered and raped a 47-year-old woman in the dunes next to a beach ramp near the 300 block of South Atlantic Avenue. The woman did fight back but she was unable to fend off Shuman, who was listed as 6'3" and 226 pounds.

The victim described the attack, her attacker and his vehicle in detail to investigators. DNA swabs were also collected and sent off for analysis. At the time, despite the best efforts of investigators, they were unable to identify the suspect. The case went inactive in November of that year.

Then, in 2015, as part of an effort to clear backlogged sexual assault evidence kits, the Sheriff’s Office sent the DNA for forensic analysis again. Two years later, in October of 2017, a match came back to Shuman, who was already a registered sex offender dating back to 1998.

Shuman, who is now 42-years-old, took his case to trial earlier this week and was convicted by a jury before being sentenced to 15 years in prison. The survivor of the attack traveled here from out of state and was able to testify at the trial.

“DNA matches, such as the one in this case, have revolutionized the way we prosecute sex crimes,” State Attorney R.J. Larizza said. “No longer must victims be lone witnesses to rape—as they so typically are. Because of a commitment by law enforcement and the courageous victim, a sexual predator is now behind bars where he belongs.”