Executive Summary
- Paul Ray Craig Jr., 51, has been arrested and charged with the 2016 murder of Walter Faile.
- Investigators linked the suspect to the crime scene through renewed DNA and fingerprint analysis.
- The victim was found beaten and stabbed in his Rock Hill apartment nearly 10 years ago.
- Rock Hill Police currently maintain 18 other open cold case investigations.
Authorities in Rock Hill, South Carolina, have arrested a 51-year-old man in connection with the 2016 murder of 77-year-old Walter Faile, citing breakthroughs in forensic analysis as the catalyst for the charges. According to the Rock Hill Police Department, Paul Ray Craig Jr. was taken into custody on Tuesday, January 27, and formally charged with murder.
The investigation dates back to July 2016, when Faile was found beaten and stabbed inside an apartment on Hutchinson Street. For nearly a decade, the homicide remained unsolved. Investigators recently launched a review of the cold case, meticulously re-examining evidence collected from the original crime scene.
During this review, detectives identified fingerprints and DNA evidence that had been left behind. Subsequent laboratory analysis of these biological markers resulted in a positive match to Craig, providing law enforcement with the evidence required to secure an arrest warrant. following his arrest, a judge denied bond for the suspect.
Rock Hill Police Chief Chris Watts stated that despite this closure, the department remains committed to solving 18 other active cold cases. Police officials continue to urge the public to contact the Criminal Investigations Division with any relevant information regarding unsolved crimes in the area.
Investigative Outlook
The resolution of this case underscores the operational importance of cold case units periodically revisiting stored evidence with updated forensic technologies. As scientific methods for DNA extraction and fingerprint analysis evolve, evidence that was previously inconclusive can become actionable, allowing law enforcement to clear long-standing backlogs. While this arrest marks a significant step in the investigation, it is important to note that Paul Ray Craig Jr. is presumed innocent of all charges until proven guilty in a court of law.
