Forensic Genetic Genealogy Identifies Deceased Suspect in Decades-Old Massachusetts Murder and Sexual Assault

Forensic genealogy identifies Robert Carey as the man responsible for the 1991 murder of Cherie Bishop and a 1993 rape in Brockton, Massachusetts.

By: AXL Media

Published: Apr 24, 2026, 10:31 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Fox News

Breakthrough in Thirty Year Investigation

The resolution of two of Massachusetts' most enduring cold cases came to light Thursday as Plymouth County District Attorney Timothy Cruz announced the identification of Robert Carey as the perpetrator of a 1991 homicide and a 1993 sexual assault. Carey, a resident of Brockton who passed away from natural causes in June 2025 at the age of 64, was linked to the crimes through a combination of preserved biological evidence and cutting-edge forensic genetic genealogy. This breakthrough finally provides the narrative of events that the Bishop and Bell families have sought for decades.

The Tragic Death of Cherie Bishop

In June 1991, 28-year-old Cherie Bishop was discovered dead in a wooded section of Mulberry Park, located near her apartment in Brockton. According to District Attorney Cruz, Bishop was found nude, with the exception of socks and a single diamond earring. A subsequent medical examination determined her cause of death was mechanical asphyxiation, confirming the case as a homicide. While investigators successfully collected DNA evidence via a rape kit at the time, the lack of a matching profile in existing databases meant the trail would remain cold for the next quarter-century.

A Second Attack and a Narrow Escape

Two years after the Bishop murder, a second violent incident occurred in Brockton involving Donna Bell. In April 1993, Bell was walking on Annis Avenue when she was abducted by a white male operating a van. Authorities state that the assailant threatened to strangle her if she fought back during the ensuing sexual assault. However, Bell managed to flee the vehicle after seizing a sharp object to defend herself. Although she survived the encounter and provided a rape kit for evidence, Bell passed away in 2021 before seeing her attacker identified.