Kalamazoo man convicted in 2005 cold case sexual assault of 14-year-old

CBS DamageLast week, a Kalamazoo man was found guilty of sexually abusing a 14-year-old in 2005.

The 39-year-old Shawn Darnell Robinson Hopkins was convicted of two first-degree criminal sexual conduct charges.

In 2005, the victim claimed being assaulted by an unidentified male. In 2022, DNA evidence was used to identify Robinson Hopkins.

Attorney General Dana Nessel of Michigan remarked, “I am thankful for the efforts of the Kalamazoo SAKI unit to secure this conviction, 19 years following this terrible assault.” “The skilled prosecutors of our state’s Sexual Assault Kit Initiative continue to bring these cases before juries, secure convictions, and make our communities safer, even though it can be very challenging to bring about justice in cold-case sexual assault prosecutions. I commend our victim’s extraordinary bravery for having the guts to come forward and demand that her abuser be held accountable when she was just 19 years old. Her fortitude serves as a reminder that, despite the potential for delay, pursuing justice is worthwhile.

The Kalamazoo Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI), which was established in 2016 to look into and prosecute sexual offenses linked to sexual assault evidence kits that had not yet been tested, prosecuted the case, according to Nessel. SAKI’s 22nd cold-case sexual assault conviction occurred in the Robinson Hopkins case.

In a statement, Kalamazoo County Prosecuting Attorney Jeffrey S. Getting remarked, “I am constantly amazed by the work that the Kalamazoo County SAKI team does for survivors of sexual assault.” “These are complicated, difficult, important cases that not only bring justice for survivors but are also making our community safer.”

On February 5, 2025, Robinson Hopkins will be sentenced.

The Kalamazoo SAKI Team is looking into almost 200 cold-case sexual assaults that occurred in Kalamazoo County between 1976 and 2015, the attorney general said.

Joe Buczek works for CBS Detroit as the manager of digital content and promotion. The Leader and the Kalkaskian, the Oakland Press, the Morning Sun, the Grand Traverse Insider, and WWTV were among his prior employers.

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