USNBC NewsFRI 02 OCT 2026 / 2:19 PM CDT

Where you live matters when it comes to prosecuting rape suspects

A murderer can be convicted decades after committing the crime, because there is no statute of limitations on most homicides in America.

The same isn’t always true for sexual assault, as Dana Beatty learned when DNA evidence pointed to a suspect 34 years after her brutal assault , because under Ohio law, time was up.

The statute of limitations for the most serious sexual assault cases can vary significantly for American adults depending on what state they live in, according to 2026 data from the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, a nonprofit that tracks the issue. NBC News verified and analyzed the data.

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In Cornell investigation, Gov. Hochul says AG James will find out "how was this woman denied justice"

Gov. Kathy Hochul has tapped New York Attorney General Letitia James as special prosecutor in the Cornell University alleged rape case.

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Jane Doe's attorney says "she was incapable of consent," alleges cover-up

Jane Doe's attorney, Thomas Giuffra, tells CBS News the investigation into her alleged rape at a Cornell fraternity was a failure and university police "were in over their heads."

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Disgraced gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar removed from Michigan sex offender registry

Convicted offender among 20,000 people removed from list after state supreme court ruling on Sora registration law Larry Nassar , the former Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics physician convicted of sexually abusing girls and women over a period of decades while claiming to provide medical treatment, has been removed from Michigan’s sex offender registry thanks to a legal technicality. Thousands of other offenders were also taken off that list after a court ruling involving how the state’s registration law can be applied. Information and…

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Hawaii's iconic 550-year-old Hōlei Sea Arch collapses

The lava rock formation protruding from the rocky cliffs of Volcanoes National Park crumbled some time last weekend.

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Where you live matters when it comes to prosecuting rape suspects

More on this deskAll US

In Cornell investigation, Gov. Hochul says AG James will find out "how was this woman denied justice"

Jane Doe's attorney says "she was incapable of consent," alleges cover-up

Disgraced gymnastics doctor Larry Nassar removed from Michigan sex offender registry

Hawaii's iconic 550-year-old Hōlei Sea Arch collapses