VA - Pros back away from Route 29 Stalker theory

Prosecutors backed away from their contention that a man on trial for a 1996 abduction is the so-called "Route 29 Stalker" who terrorized parts of northern and central Virginia a decade ago.

Although Rice is charged with only one abduction, prosecutors have previously said they believe Rice is the Route 29 Stalker, whom police have linked to the 1996 murder of Alicia Showalter Reynolds as well as numerous attempts to dupe female motorists along the Route 29 corridor into stopping their cars in February and March of 1996.

In a significant shift of trial strategy, Assistant Commonwealth's Attorney James Willett announced just before the trial began that prosecutors will not try to link Rice to any of the Route 29 cases except the one for which he is on trial -- the abduction of Carmelita Shomo, who suffered a broken ankle and other injuries escaping from her abductor after accepting a ride from him. Previously, prosecutors had said they would seek to link Rice to other Route 29 cases and establish a pattern of crimes.
http://www.nbc4.com/news/4882919/detail.html

Darrell Rice, the man charged in the attack on a Virginia woman in 1996, no longer faces life in prison after a charge against him was reduced.

The defendant's attorney's argued successfully Wednesday morning that prosecutors hadn't proved abduction with intent to defile, which carries a possible life sentence.

The judge reduced the charge to simple abduction, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison.

The case was one of numerous incidents of female motorists being flagged down or stopped on Route 29 in 1996. One woman, Alicia Showalter Reynolds, was killed.
http://www.nbc4.com/news/4890760/detail.html?rss=dc&psp=news

I don't know if this information has been posted before, I looked but couldn't find it.

What race Ethinic is he, if it ok to ask.. What kind of job did he have before this matter occurred. Im trying put something together for this rt 29 area. Thanks