The Brandywine Park rapist faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five life sentences, plus 175 years . Photo by EKATERINA BOLOVTSOVA/Pexels
A New Castle man convicted of 10 counts of rape, among 22 charges, faces a minimum mandatory sentence of five life sentences, plus 175 years at sentencing in early 2024.
Byron Mayhan, 39, described by the Department of Justice as a habitual offender, was convicted Nov. 13 for his May 29, 2020, attack on a woman running in Brandywine Park.
He placed the victim in a headlock and threatened her with a knife before ultimately raping her underneath the Washington Street Bridge, according to a press release from the Delaware Department of Justice.
Mayhan then stole the victim’s phone, engagement ring and other belongings, kidnapping her and forcing her to drive to various ATMs to get cash from her account, all while threatening to kill her.
He made the victim drive to an industrial park in the New Castle area, where he raped her again before forcing her to drive him to another location in New Castle and drop him off.
Mayhan was convicted on 10 counts of rape first degree, as well as kidnapping first degree, robbery first degree, seven counts of possession of a deadly weapon during the commission of a felony, terroristic threatening, possession of a deadly weapon by a person prohibited and unlawful use of a payment card by a Superior Court jury.
“The defendantâs history of violence shows that he is a danger to society and needs to be incarcerated for the rest of his life,” said Attorney General Kathy Jennings. “Thanks to the dedication of our prosecutors and the Wilmington Police Department, he will spend the rest of his life in prison. While nothing can undo the horrendous harm that was done, it is my hope that this conviction will bring some peace to the victim and her family as they heal.”
Mayhanâs conviction started with an investigation led by Wilmington Police Department Det. Mary Quinn and prosecuted by Deputy Attorneys General Diana Dunn and Nichole Warner with the assistance of paralegal Jayna Quillen, social workers Carley Davis and Claudia Melton, and Administrative Assistant Monica Walker.
Betsy Price is a Wilmington freelance writer who has 40 years of experience, including 15 at The News Journal in Delaware.
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