Delta County, MI – A decades-old sexual assault and kidnapping case from 1986 has been solved after DNA testing identified a suspect, who was later found deceased at his residence in Wisconsin, authorities said Friday.
According to the Michigan State Police (MSP), recent forensic investigative genetic genealogy (FIGG) testing led detectives to a 78-year-old man formerly of Harris, Michigan. The breakthrough followed years of investigative work and a renewed review of the case by Northern Michigan University’s Cold Case Program.
The case began in August 1986 when a woman from Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin, was abducted at gunpoint and sexually assaulted near Garden Township, Michigan. Despite extensive efforts at the time, investigators were unable to identify a suspect, and the case went cold for nearly four decades.
According to the Delta County Prosecutor’s Office, MSP detectives, in coordination with the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Division of Criminal Investigation and the Forest County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office, obtained a DNA sample from the suspect. Testing confirmed the suspect’s DNA matched evidence from the original crime scene.
Authorities issued kidnapping and criminal sexual conduct charges against the 78-year-old man, who had moved to Argonne, Wisconsin, shortly after the incident. Plans to arrest the suspect were halted when he was found deceased at his home on July 27, days before the scheduled arrest.
Due to the suspect’s death before arraignment, his name has not been released. The victim was advised of the positive DNA identification.
“This case is a reminder of both the importance of persistence and collaboration in the pursuit of justice,” said Col. James F. Grady II, director of the MSP. The Forest County (Wisconsin) Sheriff’s Office is overseeing the investigation into the suspect’s death.
This article was produced by a journalist and may include AI-assisted input. All content is reviewed for accuracy and fairness.
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