Serial rape trial day 2: Ikeie Smith accused of sexual assaults across Metro Detroit

Police say incidents date back to 2011

DETROIT – Day two of the trial for a suspected serial rapist accused of committing sexual assaults across Metro Detroit continued Tuesday.

Ikeie Ranordo Smith, 32, of Redford Township, is facing multiple charges of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, second-degree criminal sexual conduct, first-degree home invasion and assault with intent to do great bodily harm.

Smith is charged in Allen Park, Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Inkster and Redford Township.

According to police, the incidents date back to 2011.

READ: Day 1 Recap of the Trial

Victim takes stand detailing Redford assault

One of the victims was called to testify about a home invasion that happened in Redford in 2014.

She told the jury that she woke to the sound of footsteps in the house. She thought it was her boyfriend, but as she saw a figure standing in the doorway she realized that it was a home invader.

The woman detailed the attack and the statements her attacker made towards her.

She discussed how she tried to distract her attacker so she could get to the closet and retrieve her gun. She kept it unloaded at the time because she didn’t want her 5-year-old boy to find it.

Unfortunately, she never got that chance.

Prosecutors played the 911 call she made after the attack. A number of photos of the home were entered into evidence, as was a receipt from a McDonald's restaurant that was found on the woman's floor.

Victim’s boyfriend gives testimony

The Redford victim’s boyfriend took the stand briefly to tell the jury what happened after the attack.

The boyfriend said he went to the hospital and visited with his girlfriend. He then met with officers and gave them a DNA sample.

He told the jury that he had didn’t know Smith.

The defense had no questions for him.

Redford officers testify about evidence collection

Officer Dustin Nelson was called to the stand to discuss the incident in Redford. Nelson was the first officer to get to the scene.

Nelson talked about how evidence was gathered from the crime scene and how it was handled.

The defense asked it Nelson took notes during his investigation. Nelson said he took notes, but did not bring them to court. He told the attorney that he used those notes to write the official report.

Officer Michelle Crandall was called to the stand to corroborate Nelson’s testimony.

Crandall took the victim to the hospital and was with her as DNA evidence was collected.

Evidence technician describes photographs taken at scene

Retired evidence technician Robert Burkheiser was the last witness to take the stand Tuesday.

Burkheiser discussed the photographs he took at the scene, which were referred to during the victim’s testimony.

He discussed fingerprints that were lifted at the scene and where they were found at the Redford home.

Detective, forensic scientist take stand discussing DNA

Detective Jonathan Munson was the first person to take the stand Tuesday morning as day two of the trial got underway. He’s been with the Inkster Police Department for 20 years.

The line of questioning was about the evidence collected at the Inkster scene, which was the primary focus of day one of the trial.

The defense attorney asked about the cigarette butt and asked about the DNA that was found on it.

A forensic scientist with the Michigan State Police at the Grand Rapids Laboratory in the Biology Department was called to the stand to discuss how DNA is matched.

The forensic scientist talked about the statistical accuracy of DNA testing and how the DNA found on the cigarette butt matched the DNA taken from Smith with a buccle swab.

Details of case

Dearborn Police Chief Ronald Haddad addressed the community when Smith was taken into custody, detailing the arrest of the suspected serial rapist and the case against the man.

"I appreciate the public's support and patience while we continue this investigation," Haddad said. "Investigations of this type are complicated and time consuming and, while it is importnat to notify the public of current events, it is most important that we do not do anything to compromise the investigation."

The chief said a pattern was noticed in home invasions near the border between Dearborn and Allen Park in July 2015. The home invasions involved some sort of completed or attempted sexual assault. Neighboring jurisdictions had received several more incidents which appeared to be similar.

Haddad said at least three of the cases happened in Dearborn.

A multi-jurisdictional task force was created in November 2015 involving police departments in Dearborn, Dearborn Heights, Allen Park, Redford Township, Inkster and Garden City, as well as the Michigan State Police, FBI, MDOC and the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office.

The FBI behavioral scientists labeled the suspect as a “power reassurance rapist.”

“There’s no more power he holds over the people,” Haddad said. “I can assure you he’ll be in jail for a long time.”

Surveillance video of a suspect in the backyard of a Livonia home helped in naming a person of interest.

“This particular nightmare that has plagued our community and our region for a long time is over,” Haddad said.

Authorities believe there are a minimum of 35 cases in the region they suspect Smith is responsible for.

Dearborn Mayor Jack O’Reilly and Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy also spoke at the news conference.

“In our region, law enforcement comes together time and time again without borders,” O’Reilly said. “Crime doesn’t care about boundaries.”

Timeline

The Dearborn Police Department released a timeline of events related to the serial rapes and home invasions across the region. 

Background

According to police, Smith was arrested in connection with a series of home invasions and sexual assaults across the metro area.

Police said the incidents date back to 2011 and involve at least eight jurisdictions.

Smith was taken into custody by Dearborn police within a mile of where a number of the home invasions occurred, police said.

"The arrest of this suspect will hopefully provide closure to our victims and it is important to note that all members of this task force have expended an enormous amount of resources and energy into this investigation," Haddad said. "This collaborative effort along with citizen cooperation has resulted in a very dangerous predator being taken off the streets."

The FBI, MSP, Livonia Police Department, Dearborn Police Department and a number of other police agencies across the metro area participated in the investigation.

Painful flashback

Local 4 spoke to a sexual assault victim who says the description of Smith matches the man who attacked her in 2012.

The woman was just a teen at the time of the attack. She said a man came into her Dearborn Heights home when her mother was at work and attacked her while she was in her bedroom.

"He said if I moved he'd kill me," she said about the attack. "It's just really scary."

The woman said she was able to escape the man, but her mother says the memory of the attack still lingers.

"We have all the windows blocked with something still," the victim's mother said. "It's been four years since that happened and it still lingers. It's horrible."

Stay with Local 4 and ClickonDetroit.com as more information becomes available.