RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — The Raleigh Police Department has made an arrest in connection with a kidnapping from the Crabtree Valley Mall earlier this week.

According to a release, 41-year-old Christopher Joyner was taken into custody and charged with:

  • First-degree kidnapping
  • Robbery with a dangerous weapon
  • Attempted first-degree forcible rape
  • Assault by strangulation
  • Larceny of a motor vehicle
  • Misdemeanor possession of stolen goods/property

According to the City-County Bureau of Identification in Wake County, Joyner was arrested at 207 Wilmington St. in downtown Raleigh, an address associated with Taz’s Supermarket.

Christopher Joyner (Raleigh Police Department)

The kidnapping was originally reported on Wednesday afternoon around 2:47 p.m. when RPD received a call about an adult female victim located in the 100 block of Turner Street.

The victim stated that an adult male who was unknown to her kidnapped her from the Crabtree Valley Mall, located less than five miles away from the neighborhood where she was able to ask for help.

The female victim, who was found safe, was able to run to construction workers and ask for assistance. One of them made the 911 call.

Records identify criminal history

According to records from the North Carolina Department of Adult Correction, Joyner has a criminal history across the state with convictions dating back to 1998, including second-degree attempted kidnapping and assault by strangulation.

That year, records show he was convicted of assault and possession of stolen goods in Lenoir County.

In 1999, records show he was convicted of second-degree attempted kidnapping and assault on a policeman in Granville County.

In 2001, he was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon in Wilson County.

In 2012, he was convicted of robbery with a dangerous weapon, larceny from person, assault by strangulation and assault on an officer/state employee in Wilson County.

The report from the NCDAC says Joyner has been known to use aliases such as “Masta Killer,” “Vicious,” “Woody Kalonji King Shotta,” “Redwood,” “Heavy” and “Rail.”

The records also said Joyner has previously been incarcerated for a total of 11 years, three months and 25 days.

CORRECTION: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated Joyner was convicted in 2022 of robbery with a dangerous weapon and was previously convicted of second-degree kidnapping.