LIVONIA, Mich. – Danielle Stislicki's family was in the courtroom Tuesday as the person of interest in her disappearance accepted a plea deal in the sexual assault of a woman at Hines Park in Livonia.
Ann Stislicki said she was in the courtroom Tuesday to make sure if Galloway looked up she would be in his field of vision.
“Today, Holly and I are here to represent Danielle, and for us it was an opportunity to let him know we are still here,” Ann Stislicki said.
MORE: Floyd Galloway admits to strangling, trying to have sex with jogger at Hines Park in Livonia
Floyd Galloway Jr., 30, was originally charged with kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct-assault with intent to commit sexual penetration, assault with intent to do great bodily harm less than murder by strangulation and assault with intent to murder in connection with the assault on a jogger in Hines Park. He could face 16-35 years in prison after pleading guilty to the kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct and assault with intent to do bodily harm charges. The intent to murder charge will be dropped and he also will have to register as a sex offender for life.
The deal was offered by prosecutors about two weeks ago. Galloway rejected it at two different hearings before accepting it in court Tuesday.
Ann Stislicki said she is keeping the jogger and her family in her prayers.
Meanwhile, Galloway is still considered a person of interest in the missing case of 28-year-old Danielle Stislicki.
Hines Park jogger attack
Back on Sept 4., 2016 a 28-year-old woman told officers that a man wrapped his arms around her neck and struck her on the side of her face when she was jogging in Hines Park. She struggled with the attacker as he attempted to drag her toward the Rouge River. Police said the man attempted to remove her clothing and told her that he wanted to have sex with her.
The victim was able to fight off the man and run away. She flagged down a motorist and used his phone to call police.
Details of attack come out at preliminary hearing
The Hines Park victim testified that she went jogging at about 6 p.m. She said she parked near Joy Road and Farmington Road and ran 4-and-a-half miles in Hines Park before turning around. The victim said that on her way back, she took a path into a secluded, wooded area. She saw a man approaching her on the path.
The victim alleged that as the two passed each other, the man turned around and grabbed her from behind. He then proceeded to drag her into the woods with an arm tight around her neck as she struggled to get away.
The victim said the man got on top of her and she yelled at him, "What do you want? Why are you doing this? What do you want?"
The man answered, "I just want sex." He continued to restrain her.
The victim said the man began punching and choking her. She began pleading with him to let her go and that she had a family and a daughter.
The man eventually told her that he would let her go and left.
As soon as the man left, the victim says she got up and went to get help. She flagged down two cars along Hines Drive and called 911. Listen to the 911 call below:
Jessica Ojala with the Wayne County Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program took the stand after the victim to discuss the collection of evidence.
Ojala performed the examination on the victim and recorded preliminary information from her. The defense argued that her record should be suppressed and the judge heard arguments from counsel, eventually allowing the line of questioning to continue.
She described the report she made during her interview with the victim.
Ojala performed a head-to-toe physical exam and took photographs of injuries to the victims head and neck. Several injuries to her back, arms and legs were recorded. She also collected DNA swabs from the victims body.
Testimony was read into the record from law enforcement describing how Galloway’s DNA was collected and how other evidence was handled.
Galloway was bound over for trial before accepting the plea deal.
Connection to Stislicki
Galloway, 30, is no stranger to the Stislicki family. He was a security guard at a Southfield building where Stislicki and her mother, Ann Stislicki, worked. That's the last place the 28-year-old Farmington Hills woman was seen in December.
"Floyd would watch many folks who would work late at night," Ann Stislicki said. "Would watch you walk to your car to make sure you were OK."
Ann Stislicki said Galloway was always kind and professional to her.
Farmington Hills police said they have been working with Livonia police and have spoken to Galloway in the past.
"The detectives investigating the Stislicki case have spoken to Galloway in the past and have conducted previous searches at his Berkley home," Farmington Hills police said in statement released June 28. "Galloway is a former security guard who worked for a contracted company that previously provided security at MetLife in Southfield where Danielle Stislicki was employed. Galloway was acquainted with Danielle during his security duties at MetLife."
The combined evidence collected from both investigations led Livonia police to arrest Galloway. Farmington Hills police wouldn't be specific about the evidence.
View: Timeline in Danielle Stislicki missing case
Hines Park searched in June
Law enforcement conducted a massive search of Hines Park in Livonia on July 19.
Cadaver dogs joined the FBI, Farmington Hills police, Livonia police and the Michigan State Police centering around the are of Hines Drive and Newburgh Road.
More than 100 investigators from 20 different agencies searched throughout the day for several items such as a suitcase, trunk, luggage, bags, and Stislicki's blue Eddie Bauer jacket.
"Law enforcement authorities have expressed since day one that Danielle Stislicki was a victim of a crime," said Farmington Hills Police Chief Chuck Nebus. "The facts of the case lead us to believe she is not alive. Several air, land, and water searches have been conducted at various places throughout the investigation. Hines Park is being searched as the result of a recent Livonia and Farmington Hills joint investigation. This investigation has led to criminal charges in Livonia against Floyd Galloway, a 30-year-old resident of Berkley. Because the Livonia incident occurred in Hines Park, it is a location that requires searching. There is no specific information or evidence that leads us to believe Danielle’s remains are in the park."
Berkley home searched in December
Galloway's home in Berkley was searched on Dec. 22, 2016, about three weeks after Stislicki went missing. Law enforcement searched the home, which is in the 2900 block of Oxford Road in Berkley. Sources told Local 4 a mattress and other items were taken out of the home. Neighbors said the man living at the home had not been seen in Berkley since police searched the home.
Officers carried a mattress out of the home. Local 4 was told some floorboards were confiscated by authorities and sent off for testing. Police also removed a car from the garage.
Neighbors didn't want to speak on camera, but one said it's "very unnerving" and "feels better that he's at least in custody." He was shocked Galloway has been named as a person of interest and very upset that he's charged in the Hines Park attack.
Galloway, 30, has a clean criminal past, other than a misdemeanor charge for operating while intoxicated back in 2008. He pleaded guilty to the charge and received 6 months probation.
Allen Park police investigate similarities
Allen Park police are investigating similarities between a sexual assault case they are investigating and the Livonia Hines Park attack case.
Livonia police had released a sketch of the attacker back in September. Allen Park police said that Livonia police sketch is similar to the one they released Tuesday in connection to a sexual assault on June 10, 2017. Allen Park police believe the cases could be connected due to the similarities of the sketches, which were made by two different sketch artists.