March 28, 2026 NEW YORK, NY It was supposed to be a peaceful Monday afternoon in the heart of New York City. But for one 21-year-old woman, a summer day in the Great Hills of Central Park turned into a fight for her life—and now, her attacker is finally facing the music.
A Narrow Escape in "The Great Hills"
On June 24, 2024, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the victim was enjoying the sun near West Drive and West 104th Street. The tranquility was shattered when 45-year-old Jermaine Longmire—a man with a documented history of sexual abuse—approached her while exposing himself.
When the woman tried to scream and flee, Longmire didn't back down. In a move described by prosecutors as "brutal and terrifying," he tackled her from behind, pinning her to the grass in a desperate attempt to rape her.
The Survivor’s Heroic Fight
Despite the shock and physical violence of the ambush, the survivor fought back with everything she had. Her resistance eventually forced Longmire to break off the attack and flee down West Drive. While she escaped with her life, she was left with injuries across her body and the trauma of a daylight assault in one of the world’s most famous parks.
“New Yorkers and tourists alike deserve to enjoy New York’s parks without fearing for their safety,” District Attorney Alvin Bragg said following the verdict. “I thank the survivor for courageously recounting the assault.”
How They Caught Him: The DNA Trail
Longmire didn't stay in the shadows for long. At the time of the attack, he was already wanted on an active warrant for groping another woman just months prior.
While a witness was able to point police in the direction of his escape, it was modern science that sealed his fate. Forensic investigators recovered genetic evidence from the survivor’s bikini bottoms that provided an undeniable link back to Longmire.
