one night in july 2007, around 2:00 a.m., shannon says she took her dog for a walk in the backyard. >> she came crawling into my bedroom, hysterical. and i'm asking, "what's wrong? what's wrong?" >> reporter: shannon told her mother she had been raped. who did she say had raped her? >> she said it was him. >> reporter: jermeir? >> jermeir, yeah. >> reporter: charlotte police were alerted and rushed to the scene. shannon was bleeding and appeared traumatized. she was taken to a hospital for treatment and given a rape kit exam. no witnesses? >> no. >> reporter: none of your neighbors? >> no. i think there were maybe four people that lived in the neighborhood at that time. >> reporter: word of shannon's reported rape traveled quickly to durham, where detective shawn pate and assistant d.a. saacks were now preparing for her trial. they wondered if shannon was