‘Pillowcase Rapist’ Convicted in Cold Case Attack
Justice arrived forty years late. The notorious “Pillowcase Rapist” has been convicted. Robert Eugene Koehler, 66, was found guilty in a Miami-Dade County court. The verdict came down on November 3rd.
The charges are severe: sexual battery, kidnapping, and burglary. All related to a brutal 1984 assault.
The Horrifying 1984 Crime
The victim was just 22 years old at the time. She gave chilling testimony. The attacker reportedly broke into her home. He held a knife to her throat. He threatened to end her life.
Crucially, he covered her face with fabric. This detail gave him his awful nickname.
Authorities formed a task force after the attack. There were zero leads for decades. The case went cold.
DNA Breakthrough Cracks Case
The breakthrough finally came in 2020. The key was a seemingly unrelated arrest. Koehler’s son was taken into custody for a separate crime. He was DNA-tested.
This DNA led investigators straight to Robert Eugene Koehler. He was immediately connected to the 1984 assault. Koehler was arrested on January 22, 2020. He has been held without bond ever since.
Prosecutors have linked Koehler’s DNA to at least 25 different attacks. They suspect the total number of victims could be over forty.
Evidence and Prior Conviction
Following his 2020 arrest, investigators searched Koehler’s property. Miami-Dade prosecutor Laura Adams described finding a “dungeon.” They also found “souvenirs” possibly taken from his break-ins.
Koehler was already convicted in a similar 1983 assault. He received a 17-year prison sentence last year for that crime.
This latest conviction finally closes another chapter on a terrifying period in South Florida history.