The Michigan State Police say they found the suspect in a cold case of an assault of a woman from Lac du Flambeau nearly 40 years later.
According to police, the woman was biking from her home in Lac du Flambeau to Sault Ste. Marie in the eastern Upper Peninsula in August 1986.
During a bathroom stop at Big Fishdam River in Delta County she was forced at gunpoint into the suspect’s car.
The suspect drove her around and repeatedly sexually assaulted her, eventually releasing her.
At that time, police were not able to find the man who assaulted her. For decades the case went unsolved and was labeled a cold case.
Two years ago, the case was brought to Northern Michigan University’s Cold Case Program.
The NMU Cold Case Program was established in 2022 as a partnership between NMU and MSP to offer students in NMU’s Criminal Justice Program real-world experience with forensic analysis, investigation and the criminal justice system.
Because active investigations require substantial time and attention, troopers and detectives often have limited resources to dedicate to reviewing cold cases. Students from the Cold Case Program reexamine old evidence with fresh eyes, bringing new investigative ideas to these cases.
Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy [FIGG] was used to track down the suspect who was now living in Forest County. FIGG is a relatively new forensic technique that uses DNA evidence from a crime and genealogical databases to trace familial connections.
This suspect had been a resident of Harris, Mich. at the time of the incident, which was approximately a 45-minute drive from the crime scene. The suspect had subsequently moved to Wisconsin shortly after the incident.
A search warrant for the suspect’s DNA was issued to confirm his connection to the case. Michigan State Police were able to confirm this man’s DNA matched to that from evidence collected in 1986.
The Delta County Prosecutor's Office issued charges of Kidnapping and Criminal Sexual Conduct in the First Degree for the 78-year-old male, now residing in Argonne.
Plans were made to arrest him on July 29, 2025. Two days before that he was found dead at his home.
Because he died before he could be arraigned, police are not releasing his name. The victim was notified of the DNA match to the suspect.
“This case is a reminder of both the importance of persistence and of collaboration in the pursuit of justice,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP, in a statement. “I extend my gratitude to the dedicated MSP troopers and detectives who worked this case over the years, never allowing it to be forgotten. I’d also like to thank the Wisconsin Department of Justice's Division of Criminal Investigation and Forest County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office, as well as the MSP Forensic Science Division. Lastly, a special thank you goes to the students and faculty of the NMU Cold Case Program who contributed directly to solving this heinous crime and bringing some measure of closure for this victim.”
The Forest County Sheriff's Office is overseeing the suspect’s death investigation.
This case is believed to be the oldest sexual assault case in Michigan to be solved utilizing FIGG.
