MEMPHIS, Tenn. — After being convicted in a rape which happened 35 years ago, a Memphis man learned Thursday he will spend 25 years in prison for the crime.
Tony Stafford was found guilty Feb. 6, 2024, of the rape of an 18-year-old woman in 1988. During his sentencing hearing March 7, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison, according to court records.
Shelby County District Attorney D.A. Steve Mulroy said at the time of the rape, no suspects were identified. Then in 2015, rape kit swabs and clothing were sent out for testing, and results came back in 2016. That was uploaded to the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS), and in 2018, Tony Stafford was identified as the suspect. The D.A. said Stafford had prior convictions for sex offenses in Washington County, Tennessee, and Utah.
Mulroy said this case highlights the need for a crime lab in Memphis, where rape kits can be tested. Currently, all rape kits and forensic testing is done at the TBI crime lab in Jackson, Tennessee.
“Given the volume and the demand we have in Shelby County, it makes sense to have a local crime lab,” said Mulroy. “And this lab could also offer services that are supplemental to the TBI Crime Lab in Jackson, including rapid DNA testing and cell phone digital forensics.”
Mulroy said the backlog of continues in Shelby County, and a local crime lab could help alleviate that issue.
“This case exemplifies the need to test all sexual assault kits in a timely manner,” said Dru Carpenter, who led the prosecution of Safford. “Justice was delayed for thirty-five years but was not denied in this case.”
The D.A.’s office said it will continue to push for testing older rape kits “in hopes of seeing more cold cases prosecuted like the Safford verdict.”
