by Delta County, MI – In a stunning cold case breakthrough nearly four decades in the making, Michigan State Police (MSP) have officially identified a Wisconsin man as the suspect in a 1986 kidnapping and sexual assault case in Delta County—just days before he was found dead.
According to the EUP News report, the case had remained unsolved for 39 years until a powerful combination of modern DNA technology, inter-agency cooperation, and student-led investigation finally cracked the case.
Abduction Along a Bike Route in 1986
The original investigation began in August 1986, when a woman reported being kidnapped and repeatedly sexually assaulted while biking from Lac du Flambeau, Wisconsin to Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. She had stopped at a public restroom near the Big Fishdam River access in Garden Township, where she was ambushed at gunpoint.
Her attacker forced her into his car, drove her around Delta County, and subjected her to multiple sexual assaults before eventually releasing her. Despite intense efforts by MSP troopers at the time, all leads went cold and the case remained unsolved for decades.
Cold Case Gets New Life at Northern Michigan University
In 2023, the investigation was revived when MSP detectives partnered with Northern Michigan University’s (NMU) Cold Case Program. The program gives criminal justice students hands-on experience examining decades-old unsolved crimes.
As part of their review, students and faculty identified the case as a potential candidate for Forensic Investigative Genetic Genealogy (FIGG) — a relatively new forensic tool that uses crime scene DNA to trace family trees and locate potential suspects.
The MSP Forensic Science Division sent preserved DNA evidence to a private lab for FIGG analysis, and the results produced a promising lead.
From Cold Lead to Confirmed Match
The new genetic profile led detectives to a 78-year-old man living in Argonne, Wisconsin—a former resident of Harris, Michigan, which is located just 45 minutes from the 1986 crime scene. The suspect had moved out of state shortly after the incident.
MSP obtained a search warrant for the suspect’s DNA, and once his sample was tested, it confirmed a direct match to DNA collected in 1986. The Delta County Prosecutor’s Office issued charges of kidnapping and first-degree criminal sexual conduct, and preparations were made to arrest him on July 29, 2025.
However, just two days prior—on July 27—the suspect was found deceased at his home. His name has not been released, as he was never formally arraigned. The Forest County Sheriff’s Office in Wisconsin is handling the investigation into his death.
Long-Awaited Justice, Even Without a Trial
Despite the suspect’s death, MSP formally notified the victim that her attacker had been identified. MSP Director Col. James F. Grady II commended the years of relentless work and collaboration across departments, saying:
“This case is a reminder of both the importance of persistence and of collaboration in the pursuit of justice.”
He offered special thanks to the students and faculty at NMU who “brought new investigative ideas” that helped close the case. Officials also noted this may be Michigan’s oldest sexual assault case solved using FIGG.
A Message of Hope and Determination
Although the suspect will never face a courtroom, the case represents a powerful moment of closure for the survivor and a triumph of forensic innovation over time.
Do you believe more cold cases could be solved with the help of modern DNA tools? Share your thoughts below—and visit ibwhsmag.com for more updates.
