Auburn man arrested in 2008 sodomy case

Cord Smith/Courtesy: Auburn Police Department

Auburn police have arrested a man on sodomy charges for a crime that happened more than 17 years ago.

The investigation began in March 2008 when Auburn police responded to a report of a sexual assault. The victim told officers that they had been sexually assaulted at a home earlier.

Authorities say the suspect was unknown to the victims; however, the victim was able to provide a description and details about the crime.

Evidence was submitted to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for analysis and later, Auburn Police Department received notification of a DNA match identifying the suspect as 39-year-old Cord Smith.

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 Sunday, Smith was located by police and taken into custody.

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.