BOSTON (AP) — A fugitive who allegedly faked his own death by submerging a car in a river to avoid rape and kidnapping charges in 1984 has been arrested in Texas, authorities said.
Charles Carr, 44, was apprehended in Fort Worth after his photo posted on the Massachusetts State Police Web site generated a tip.
"They had not one but two experts look at his fingerprints. We're 100 percent sure that we have the man now that we're looking for," said Lt. Kevin Horton, a detective with the Massachusetts State Police.
Carr allegedly kidnapped and raped a 15-year-old girl in Boston 17 years ago. At the time, he was on probation for a kidnapping in New Hampshire, and was out on $10,000 bail on another New Hampshire rape charge.
Carr has been missing since December 1984, when a car rented in his name was found submerged in a river in Portland, Maine. A suicide note was in the car with Carr's wallet, but no body was ever found.
Police reports at the time noted that the accident appeared staged and that Carr was probably still alive.
Authorities staked out Carr's Fort Worth home last week and took him into custody when he emerged.
He was arraigned Friday on a charge of being a fugitive from justice. He could be returned to Massachusetts as early as Monday, Horton said.