DEARBORN, Mich. – A call to action was made after the home invasion and sexual assault of two elderly women over the weekend.
The incident occurred Sunday (March 17) afternoon in Dearborn.
It is at least the third instance that Local 4 has investigated where an attacker comes to the door of an elderly person offering work and then attacking them.
One incident involved a person offering to rake leaves, and another was a homicide when the person asked to mow a lawn. The man offered to fix the elderly sister’s roof.
“I can tell you it was random,” said Dearborn police Chief Issa Shahin.
It was an unconscionable attack on two sisters, ages 78, at the hands of 52-year-old Michael Holcomb.
We are told Holcomb likely knew of the sisters by doing work nearby. Officials say he knocked on their door to tell them their roof needed repairs, and when they opened the door, he pushed his way in.
Holcomb is charged with sexually assaulting the sisters, assault to do great bodily harm and more.
“The alleged actions of the defendant in this case are among the most egregious and deplorable that I have seen in my 30-plus years in criminal law. The facts truly shock the conscience,” said Wayne County Prosecutor Kym Worthy. “The victims were brutalized, tortured, and repeatedly sexually assaulted. Count six, and this is something we rarely charge: torture, victim one. Count seven torture victim two.”
The tactic of targeting a senior by telling them they are there to do work has happened many times before.
If you have a senior in your life, tell them not to open the door.
“Tell them do not open the door for anyone they do not know, let them know if they feel uncomfortable, they need to call the police right away,” said Crime and Safety expert Darnell Blackburn. “Especially if they are seniors and they are living alone. And say, ‘I am a senior, I live alone, someone is knocking on my door.’”
“You can always call the police, and I encourage residents if they have concerns to contact the police,” Shahin said. “I would agree with that.”
Allen Park police said Holcomb also assaulted a 13-year-old girl just hours before the attack on the sisters. They have submitted a warrant request, and he will likely be charged next week.