Cold Case Solved: DNA Links 1987 Deerfield Beach Assault to Convicted Murderer

After nearly four decades of silence, a Broward County Sheriff’s Office (BSO) detective has cracked a horrific 1987 sexual assault case, identifying the perpetrator through a remarkable application of modern DNA technology.

Gregory Rollison, Already Serving Time for Murder, Confirmed as Suspect

The case, which involved the brutal attack on an 85-year-old woman in Deerfield Beach, has finally been closed thanks to a painstaking reinvestigation spearheaded by BSO detectives. Gregory Rollison, previously convicted of attempted murder in California and currently incarcerated, was linked to the crime through a newly developed DNA profile.

The Attack: A Calculated Violation

According to Detective Andrew Gianino, the attack unfolded on a sweltering summer evening. “Not only was Rollison in the victim’s apartment, but he was the person who actually tied her up, beat her, and sexually assaulted her,” Gianino stated in a released video. The suspect scaled the side of an apartment building on North Federal Highway, attempting to gain access to the victim’s residence before ultimately breaching her balcony door.

A Brutal Crime – Details Revealed

Investigators detailed a harrowing sequence of events. The suspect, armed with a knife, subjected the victim to repeated assaults, stealing $25 from her purse during the commission of the crime. The woman, unable to positively identify her attacker at the time, succumbed to her injuries years later.

Persistence Pays Off: DNA Technology Reopens Old Wounds

Despite initial suspicions and a lack of concrete evidence in 1987, Detective Gianino refused to abandon the investigation. Advances in DNA analysis, coupled with targeted grants, allowed the BSO Crime Lab to re-examine the cold case evidence. A significant breakthrough occurred in July when the lab identified remains pulled from the Everglades in 1983, ultimately linking a homicide investigation to the Deerfield Beach assault. This success prompted Gianino to resubmit evidence from the original case, revealing a DNA profile that definitively matched Rollison’s.

Rollison Extradited Back to Broward County

Authorities in California swiftly extradited Rollison back to Broward County to face charges. “It’s so brutal and so disgusting that someone would do that to a poor lady late in her life,” Detective Gianino remarked, highlighting the severity of the crime. The case serves as a stark reminder of the enduring impact of violent crime and the potential for justice, even after decades of dormancy.”