GARDEN TOWNSHIP — The assailant of a woman who was kidnapped at gunpoint from a public bathroom in Garden Township and repeatedly raped in 1986 has been identified, but the man died two days before he could be arrested.

According to Daily Press archives and the Michigan State Police, the woman was 32 and traveling alone on a bike trip from her home in Lac du Flambeau, Wis. to Sault Ste. Marie, Mich. when the assault occurred the evening of Tuesday, Aug. 19. The woman had stopped at the bathrooms at the Fishdam River access site on U.S. 2. When she exited the bathroom, she was forced at gunpoint into the suspect’s car. The suspect then drove her around and repeatedly sexually assaulted her, with at least one of the assaults taking place in the woods, before the man eventually released her.

The woman was treated at Schoolcraft Memorial Hospital following the assault.

An initial investigation was unable to identify the assailant. Over time, when all investigative leads were exhausted, the case became designated as a cold case. Over the years, troopers and detectives reviewed the case periodically and made attempts to follow up on any new credible evidence. There were no breakthroughs in the investigation until the fall of 2023, when MSP detectives tapped into an ongoing partnership with Northern Michigan University’s (NMU) Cold Case Program to review the case.

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, but students from the Cold Case Program are able reexamine old evidence with fresh eyes, bringing new ideas to these cases.

The original investigation conducted by MSP was reviewed by the NMU Cold Case Program in the fall semester of 2023. During that review, it was determined this investigation may be appropriate for the use of Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG). FIGG is a relatively new forensic technique that uses DNA evidence from a crime and genealogical databases to trace familial connections.

The MSP Forensic Science Division contracted with a private laboratory to review the evidence and complete the FIGG testing. The testing provided a new lead in the case, and MSP detectives then worked with the with the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation and Forest County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office to further investigate a potential suspect.

A now-78-year-old male suspect living in Argonne, Wis. was identified as a result of the FIGG testing and further work by law enforcement. He had been a resident of Harris at the time of the incident, which is about 45-minutes from the site of the assault by car, and had moved to Wisconsin not long after the incident occurred.

A search warrant for the suspect’s DNA was issued to confirm his connection to the case, and a sample was collected from the suspect while he was still alive. MSP detectives delivered the sample to the MSP Forensic Science Division, who determined the suspects DNA was a match to the sample obtained from the evidence collected in 1986.

The Delta County Prosecutor’s Office issued charges of Kidnapping and CSC First Degree for the 78-year-old male and plans were made to arrest him on July 29. However, two days later on July 27, the suspect was found dead at his home. The Forest County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin is overseeing the investigation into the man’s death.

Due to the suspect’s death occurring prior to arraignment, the suspect’s name is being withheld, but the victim was informed that her assailant had been positively identified through DNA testing. This case is believed to be the oldest sexual assault case in Michigan to be solved utilizing FIGG.

“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. “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.”