Robert Grey Sentenced for 1997 Rape

08/21/2009
CONTACT INFO: Charles Branson Douglas County District Attorney 785-841-0211 cbranson@douglas-county.com Douglas County District Attorney Charles Branson announces today that Robert E. Grey, 36, was sentenced in District Court for the 1997 rape of a then University of Kansas student. The Honorable Peggy C. Kittel sentenced Grey to 316 months or just over 26 years. On Saturday, May 11, 1997 at approximately 11:45 p.m., the victim's then boyfriend called the Lawrence Police Department and reported he had witnessed his girlfriend being abducted from the Naismith Hall parking lot in her own vehicle by an unknown man. As an officer was taking a report from the boyfriend, the victim drove up informed the officer she had just been abducted by gun point by a white male (later known to be Grey) and was raped behind Lawrence High. The suspect then drove her in her own car to the area around 18th and Missouri and fled. It was at that point that the victim was then able to drive back to report the crime. Although a rape kit test was performed and several fingerprints were lifted from the victim's car, a suspect was not immediately found. This case had gone cold until 2007 when it had new life breathed into it when a fingerprint hit was made from the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Automated Fingerprint Identification System (AFIS) from a print left on the victim's car. With information stemming from this match, a search warrant was executed that allowed the Lawrence Police Department to obtain Deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) from Grey. When DNA from Grey was compared to DNA from the victim's rape kit, a match was made. "I again want to thank the Lawrence Police Department for their determination in solving this case. Without their tenacity, Grey would have remained free to rape another innocent victim," advised Branson. The victim, who lives out of state, was unable to attend today's hearing, but an insightful and sobering view into the world of a victim of rape was read by Chief Assistant District Attorney Amy McGowan. -30-

Media Contact:
Cheryl L. Wright - Assistant to the District Attorney
District Attorney's Office
785-841-0211
cwright@douglas-county.com