Suspect in decades-old sexual assault case brought back to Broward

A man wanted for sexually assaulting an older woman nearly 40 years ago in Deerfield Beach was transferred from California to Florida on Sunday, according to the Broward Sheriff’s Office.

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The “heinous crime” happened in July 1987 inside an in the 300 block of North Federal Highway, BSO said in a Monday statement.

A man scaled the side of a building, initially trying to enter another apartment before breaking into an 85-year-old woman’s home, BSO said. She was asleep when he got inside through a sliding door on her balcony and assaulted her twice at knife point. He then stole items from her place and fled.

“Just 10 days later there was another violent attack with similar circumstances just miles away,” the sheriff’s office said.

Investigators “had their suspicions” the perpetrator was Gregory Rollison, BSO said, but without DNA technology or a positive ID from the victim, they were unable to move forward.

Broward Sheriff’s Office Detective Andrew Gianino, who was one of the original responding deputies, sought for the case to be re-examined after major advancements in DNA testing over the years. The evidence was recently sent back to the crime lab, and Rollison is accused of matching a DNA profile from the incident.

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“In a case like this where I was on scene in 1987 and physically met the victim, and now all these years later she’s passed away, it feels like it went full circle, and we were able to provide her some rest, if there is such a thing for her,” Gianino said in the statement. “I think it’s really important for people to know and to maintain hope. So long as there’s DNA there’s always a chance.”

Rollison, 60, was serving nine years in California State Prison, Los Angeles County for attempted murder on a law enforcement officer, BSO said. He was handed over to BSO to face two counts of sexual battery and one count of armed burglary of a dwelling in connection with the attack.

He was being held pending trial Tuesday at North Broward Bureau in Pompano Beach, jail records show. He didn’t have an attorney listed yet.

“Even though the victim in this case has passed away, the case didn’t end with her,” BSO said in the statement. “It will end in a courtroom.

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