Kurt Alan Rillema, a 53-year-old man from West Bloomfield, Michigan, was sentenced to 10-15 years in prison on January 15 for the 1999 sexual assault of a 22-year-old woman at Twin Lakes Golf Club in Oakland Township.
The assault, which took place on September 6, 1999, involved Rillema entering a food stand at the golf course and sexually assaulting the victim, who was working there at the time. Although DNA evidence was collected, the case went unsolved for many years as authorities were unable to identify a suspect.
However, in 2004, DNA from the Oakland County assault was matched with evidence from a separate sexual assault at a Penn State golf course in 2000. The evidence from the Pennsylvania case led to further investigation but could not immediately pinpoint the attacker.
In 2021, authorities in Michigan and Pennsylvania reopened the case using genealogical DNA testing. This led to a breakthrough in 2023, narrowing the suspect down to one of three brothers. The investigation confirmed that Rillema was the man responsible, and DNA from a coffee cup was used to match him conclusively.
Rillema was arraigned in 2023 on charges of first- and second-degree criminal sexual conduct. However, he pleaded no contest to third- and fourth-degree charges in December 2024, resulting in the dismissal of the original charges.
Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald praised the victim’s strength in enduring the trauma of reliving the assault and commended the law enforcement officials for their relentless pursuit of justice.
Rillema’s attorney, Ellen K. Michaels, did not respond to requests for comment at the time of reporting.
