FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. – The Local 4 Defenders spoke Thursday with Danielle Stislicki's parents after a person of interest in their daughter's missing case appeared in court for charges in another case.
Stislicki, 28, has been missing since Dec. 2, 2016. She left work that day in Southfield and was supposed to meet a friend for dinner, but never showed up. Her Jeep was found the next day parked outside her apartment in Farmington Hills.
Farmington Hills police said they have been working with Livonia police on this investigation. Evidence from a Livonia sexual assault case was combined with evidence from the Stislicki case, leading to the arrest of a 30-year-old Berkley man. That man now faces charges in connection to the sexual assault of a jogger on Sept. 4, 2016, in Hines Park in Livonia.
READ: Who is Floyd Galloway?
Floyd Galloway made his first appearance in court Wednesday, facing charges for the Hines Park sexual assault case. A 28-year-old woman accused Galloway of grabbing her and trying to rape her while she was jogging on a bike trail.
Rich and Anne Stislicki opened up about the case for the first time since Galloway was named a person of interest in their daughter's disappearance. They were careful with their words, but they hope this could be the break in the case they've been praying for.
Anne Stislicki said she couldn't sleep Tuesday night.
"No, you don't every time," she said. "Our biggest focus is to keep Danielle's name in the public, and you get yanked back again in the media frenzy."
Galloway, 30, of Berkley, was charged in the sexual assault case, and a DNA test linked him as a person of interest in Danielle Stislicki's disappearance.
"My initial reaction is scared," Anne Stislicki said. "The outcome of the description of the jogger could be the fate of my daughter, and my daughter didn't get a chance to get out and get help. It's also a reality, the bravery of this person to be strong enough to fight him off and come forward."
The Stislickis said there was a very important reason they didn't attend Galloway's arraignment on Wednesday.
"It's not about Danielle at this time," Rich Stislicki said. "There will be that moment, but this time it's about that person from Hines Park who made it out alive and was able to talk."
The Stislickis are well aware of who Galloway is. He used to work as a security guard at their daughter's workplace, where she was last seen.
"Floyd was very friendly and approachable to many, many people in that building," Anne Stislicki said. "Absolutely (I would talk to him). Floyd would watch many folks who would work late at night, would watch you walk to your car to make sure you were OK."
Galloway's Berkley home was searched after Danielle Stislicki went missing. A mattress, floorboards and a car were removed. Police spoke with him, but he was never charged.
"I was happy they had somebody and they were going to take them temporarily off the street," Rich Stislicki said. "It's a direction -- move forward instead of moving behind."
"I always say Danielle's had boundaries and was graceful how she presented herself," Anne Stislicki said. "I do this with Danielle in mind. We need to remain graceful and focus. This is not a witch hunt. This will go through legal challenges the way it should be."
The Stislickis want to remind everything that the case is still open. They still need more tips, more people to come forward and to find their daughter.