Man charged with Highland Park rape with DNA match

HIGHLAND PARK, Mich. (WJBK) - Keyontae Passmore is accused of assaulting, raping, and then robbing a woman at 3 a.m. last May in an industrial part of Highland Park.

Police say it was a crime of opportunity - he was riding a bike and saw a young lady walking to work and started talking to her.

"When she wouldn't respond to his small talk and wanted to keep walking to work, he attacked her and pulled her into an alley and sexually assaulted her," said Det. Brian Menge, Highland Park police.

She was able to flag down an officer, and give him a description of the suspect. Still months went by without an arrest.

The sex assault took place in a part of town that is rather isolated but there are a few businesses that are operating there. The people who use them say after hearing of the attack they were scared to come back here."

As the months went by, the uneasy feeling would only grow. Police say they trusted the process, sending DNA collected from the victim to the police crime lab.

"There are hundreds if not thousands of kits that they process through the entire state," Menge said. "So it was just a matter of time before there was a hit and have it run through the database."

Since Passmore has been convicted of unarmed robbery back in 2012, his DNA was in the system and police say it’s a match. He's being held without bond on several felony charges stemming from the alleged rape.

Those in the area say they feel a little more at ease with news of this arrest.

"He deserves to go to jail," said Yolanda Brown, who works near the area of the crime. "No woman deserves to be violated under no circumstances."