Convicted murderer charged with assault and sodomy

A 46-year-old Cape Girardeau man convicted of second-degree murder in 1986 was arrested Thursday on suspicion of two counts of forcible sodomy and one count of domestic assault.

Colbert L. Fairley, 2802 Independence St., Apt. 10, faces the three felony counts and a parole violation from the murder charge he was convicted of in St. Louis County in October 1986. At that time, Fairley was given a life sentence, but he was paroled Aug. 8, 2003.

In a statement to the Cape Girardeau Police Department, the alleged victim said she was at Fairley's residence at 2 p.m. Wednesday when he shoved her on the bed, punched her and raped her.

Each count of felony forcible sodomy carries a possible 10 years to life in prison. Felony assault carries up to seven years in prison.

"Our hope is he will never walk the streets a free man again," said Cape Girardeau County Prosecuting Attorney Morley Swingle.

In his 1986 second-degree murder charge, Fairley and an accomplice burglarized the home of 85-year-old Agnes Gwaltney, his neighbor at the time, and strangled her.

Fairley will go before Judge Gary Kamp at 3 p.m. Monday by video arraignment. He is being held at the Cape Girardeau County Jail in Jackson. His bond was set at $250,000 cash only with conditions that he have no contact with the victim and stay more than 500 feet away from her residence and place of employment.

jsamons@semissourian.com

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