HOUMA - An Abbeville woman whose life changed when she was allegedly raped 25 years ago has renewed hope for justice.

A man accused of the crime was arrested here Monday, on the basis of DNA sampling.

David B. Dore, 47, was picked up when he went to his probation officer’s for a regular visit and charged with aggravated rape.

The rape allegedly occurred in 1986 in an apartment complex in Abbeville. The victim was recently contacted by Abbeville Detective Stan Suire and told that a DNA match occurred thanks to the Acadiana Crime Lab in New Iberia.

Suire wanted to know if the victim still wanted to pursue the rape charge.

She told Suire that her life has not been the same since the rape and that she wanted to pursue the case.

Suire and another officer drove to Houma last week and waited outside the probation officer’s door as Dore was arrested. The officers drove him back to Abbeville where he was booked into the Vermilion Parish jail and held on $200,000 bond.

Although the case is 25 years old, a DNA match was made possible thanks to the crime lab in New Iberia, Suire said. In 1986 when the rape occurred, the female was taken to Abbeville General Hospital and a rape examination was performed.

DNA sampling was taken from the victim and submitted to the crime lab. About six years ago, with the help of a grant, the crime lab entered old DNA samples (before computers were popular) into their CODI System computer in hopes of getting a DNA match. But this 1986 rape case did not have a match until recently.

Last month Dore was arrested in Houma and charged with burglary. By state law all felony arrests have to take a DNA sample. The DNA sample is entered into the CODI System. When Dore’s DNA was entered by Carolyn Booker of the Acadian Crime Lab, a DNA match came up.

At the time of his arrest, Suire said Dore said he had sex with a lot of women from Abbeville but he never raped any of them.

Suire has spent the last five days contacting people who worked on the rape case in 1986. The hospital nurse, who gave the rape examination at Abbeville General, now lives in North Carolina, where she was contacted.

The city detective, then Lt. Nuna Duhon, was contacted by Suire about the case.

When the rape allegedly occurred, the person broke into the apartment through a window. According to the victim, the rapist was wearing a mask and gloves and carrying a stick.