Michigan's Oldest Assault Solved

Lansing News Today | 2 Min | The Daily News Now! · Jun 26, 2026 · 1m

Michigan State Police just solved a 1986 cold case after partnering with Northern Michigan University’s Cold Case Program, using groundbreaking forensic genetic genealogy to identify a 78-year-old Wisconsin man as the suspect who abducted, assaulted, and released a woman while she was biking in Delta County. Though prosecutors were set to charge him on July 29, 2025, he died two days prior, so his name won’t be released—but the victim has been notified her attacker has been identified. This marks the oldest sexual assault case in Michigan ever solved with this DNA-based technique, showcasing…