Douglas Larry Weber, 58, was arrested on October 31, 2022 for the January 7, 1996 rape of an 18-year-old woman in Midland County, Michigan.
The young woman’s car had broken down when she was on Stark Road, near Beamish, when a young man stopped to help her and give her a ride home. Instead, he drove her to a remote field where he sexually assaulted her. He let her go from the vehicle when emergency vehicles approached, and she managed to run home where she told her mother she had been raped. She was taken to a local hospital, where she had a sexual assault kit taken. The kit was not tested until 2016, when Michigan received funding to clear the SAK backlog in that state.
Sorenson Forensics produced a DNA profile of a suspect in January of 2018, which was uploaded in CODIS but received no hits. The FGG investigation was conducted by Parabon Nanolabs, along with forensic phenotyping. Police obtained a search warrant to obtain DNA from Weber when he was interviewed by police in July of 2022. His DNA profile was confirmed to be included in that taken from the victim’s SAK in 1996.
Weber has been remanded into custody, where he is facing charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct during a kidnapping in the 75th District Court. He has pending criminal charges for assault, battery, trespass, larceny, and failing to appear.
Had the victim not reported the offence and had a sexual assault kit taken right away, the prosecution of the suspect would have been barred by the statute of limitations.
On February 7, 2023, Weber was bound from District Court to Midland County Circuit Court following a preliminary hearing. The Court found that there was sufficient evidence for the case to go to trial.
Sources:
Brown, Emily. “1996 Sexual Assault Cold Case Solved Using DNA Analysis.” WNEM News 5, November 3, 2022. Accessed November 5, 2022. https://www.wnem.com/2022/11/03/1996-sexual-assault-cold-case-solved-using-dna-analysis/.
Midland County Prosecuting Attorney. “DNA, Genealogy Point to Suspect in 1996 Cold Case Rape.” Forensic Magazine, November 4, 2022. Accessed November 5, 2022. https://www.forensicmag.com/591709-DNA-Genealogy-Point-to-Suspect-in-1996-Cold-Case-Rape/.
Nims, Tereasa. “Cold Case Rape Moves to Circuit Court.” Midland Daily News, February 7, 2023. Accessed May 7, 2023. https://www.ourmidland.com/news/police_and_courts/article/douglas-weber-bound-circuit-court-1996-rape-17767185.php.
Nims, Tereasa. “Suspect Arrested in Rape from 26 Years Ago.” Midland Daily News, November 2, 2022. Accessed November 5, 2022. https://www.ourmidland.com/news/police_and_courts/article/Suspect-arrested-in-26-year-old-rape-17553439.php.