Ecorse man charged with sex assault of 13-year-old hours before he raped elderly women

An Ecorse man already facing charges for sexually assaulting two elderly women in Dearborn has also now been charged with physically and sexually assaulting a 13-year-old girl in Allen Park, according to prosecutors.

Michael Holcomb, 52, allegedly assaulted the 13-year-old at about 8 a.m. March 17 at a residence on Meyer Avenue in Allen Park, according to a press release from the Wayne County Prosecutor's Office.

He fled the scene and later that day, at about 1:30 p.m., he allegedly raped and tortured two sisters, ages 78 and 85, in Dearborn. He was arrested for the assaults, which appeared to be random, by Dearborn police that same day at a motel.

Holcomb is charged with six counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, six counts of third-degree criminal sexual conduct, unlawful imprisonment, assault with the intent to do great bodily harm by strangulation and fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct.

“The alleged facts in this case will show that this defendant is a dangerous person whose predatory behavior seems to know no bounds,” Prosecutor Kym Worthy said in a statement.

Allen Park Police Chief Christopher Egan said this is "one of the worst cases I’ve seen as a sworn police officer for over 28 years."

Worthy said at a news conference last week that the assault of the elderly women was one of the most heinous that she'd ever seen, calling the acts "egregious and deplorable."

He was charged with five counts of first-degree criminal sexual conduct, two counts of torture, one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, and two counts of assault with intent to do great bodily harm in connection with the assaults on the women in Dearborn.

"The level of brutality in this case is really unimaginable," Worthy said at a press conference last week. "And for someone who's seen what we've seen collectively, that's saying a lot. Our victims were brutally beaten. Our victims were brutally assaulted. Our victims were brutally raped. And our victims were brutally tortured."

Prosecutors said Holcomb entered the Dearborn home of the two women and sexually and physically assaulted them before fleeing the home. Police found the women with multiple injuries.

"Sadly, this is a very tragic and alarming incident within our community, especially due to the nature of the crime, the victims and the circumstances involved," Dearborn Police Chief Issa Shahin said at a press conference last week. "It's terrible. It's disgusting. And I pray that he never breathes the same air that I do."

According to the Michigan Sex Offender Registry, Holcomb was convicted on one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct in June 2010. 

kberg@detroitnews.com