(UPDATE: LEBANON, TN) In neighboring Wilson County, an investigation by Special Agents with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation that resulted in the indictment and arrest of a man charged with the alleged sexual assault of a female more than 40 years ago – is due to hit the courts next month.
WGNS spoke to the victim in the case who would have been under the age of 13 when she says that she was allegedly abused by Donald Wayne Haynes, who was indicted last year. Haynes was booked on November 13th, 2020, which happened to be the victims' birthday…
That was Crista Johnston who is now in her 40's. When the alleged aggravated rape(s) occured, Johnston was only 12-years old and the suspect would have been in his mid 30's.
TBI Agents began investigating allegations in 2019 that Johnston had been the victim of sexual assault several decades ago, when she was under the age of 13. During the course of the investigation, agents developed information that between June of 1979 and November of 1985, Donald Wayne Haynes sexually assaulted the victim on multiple occasions at his home in Wilson County, according to the TBI.
On November 10, 2020, the Wilson County Grand Jury returned indictments charging 77-year old Donald Wayne Haynes with six counts of Aggravated Rape.
Haynes was arrested on November 13, 2020 by TBI Agents and Wilson County deputies. He was booked into the Wilson County Jail and later released after posting bond.
Johnston said that laws in Tennessee from the late 1970’s and into the 80’sare what made it possible for her case to move forward with an arrest…
Surprisingly, a large number of detectives across the Volunteer fail to realize the law differences for child rape cases in the 80’s, which is one reason why her case failed to move forward when she previously spoke to law enforcement…
Again, the next court date for Haynes to appear before a judge is scheduled to take place on June 21, 2021.
