AUBURN, Ala. - On Nov. 16, 2025, Auburn Police arrested Cord Smith, age 39, from Auburn, Alabama, charging him with sodomy first degree. This arrest comes more than 17 years after the initial reported crime.

The investigation began in March 2008 when Auburn Police officers responded to a report of sexual assault. The victim reported that they had been sexually assaulted at a residence in Auburn just prior to the emergency call.

The suspect was unknown to the victim; however, the victim was able to provide a suspect description and details about the crime. Detectives processed the scene and collected evidentiary items that substantiated the victim’s claims.

Evidence was submitted to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences (DFS) for analysis. The suspect remained unidentified for years until the Auburn Police Department received notification of a DNA match from Alabama DFS identifying Cord Smith as the suspect.

The DNA match prompted additional investigative developments, and, in 2025, the case was submitted to the Lee County District Attorney for presentation to a Grand Jury. A Lee County Grand Jury’s deliberation resulted in an indictment charging Cord Smith with sodomy first degree.

On Nov. 16, 2025, Smith was located by police and arrested in obedience to the indictment.

Smith was also charged with giving false identification to a law enforcement officer and two counts of failure to appear from unrelated warrants. He was transported to the Lee County Jail where he is being held without bond, pending further judicial review.

All defendants are innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.