Cedar Rapids police investigators receive federal service award

Two Cedar Rapids police investigators will be honored Thursday with the highest federal service award in state for their work on a sexual assault and kidnapping case, which resulted in two life sentences for a Marion man last year.

Linn County Attorney Jerry Vander Sanden said Tuesday he nominated Doug Larison and Jennifer Roberts because of their 'conscientious and professional efforts to investigate and solve an especially brutal and violent sexual assault” of a 20-year-old woman on April 21, 2013. Vander Sanden said he would have nominated them last year for the Law Enforcement Victim Service Award but the case was pending and the trial wasn't until September 2014.

Larison and Roberts will be in Des Moines Thursday to receive the award, which is sponsored by the U.S. Attorney's offices in the Northern and Southern districts of Iowa. U.S. Attorney Nicholas Klinefeldt of the Southern District will present the awards. U.S. Attorney Kevin Techau of the Northern District presented this award last year in Cedar Rapids.

Techau on Wednesday said the 'empathy and sensitivity” Larison and Roberts demonstrated for this crime victim and her child should be a model for others.

Both Larison and Roberts said Wednesday they were surprised to hear of the honor.

'Surprised and appreciative,” Larison, with the department for 32 years, said Wednesday.

Roberts, an officer for 16 years and assigned to the sexual assault unit, said she also never expected the honor.

Both said they were just doing their jobs and in cases like this one, Roberts added that she is always thinking about the victim and wants to get the best outcome for them.

Vander Sanden said the investigators always treated this victim, who was 'deeply traumatized, with 'dignity and respect, and made her feel safe and secure.”

According to testimony, the victim was attacked in her apartment by Bryan Roche, 22, who was convicted of first-degree kidnapping, first-degree sexual abuse, attempted murder and willful injury causing serious injury. He choked the woman, making her briefly lose consciousness, gagged her with a sock, tied her hands behind her and then raped her, more than once.

The woman testified she was able to scream at some point but then Roche told her to stop or he would harm her 3-year-old daughter who saw some of the attack. Roche then stabbed the woman in the neck and stomach.

Larison testified Roche admitted to police that he stabbed her to quiet her, and knew she wouldn't survive when she locked him out of the bedroom and he waited on the other side.

Vander Sanden pointed out that Roche wouldn't confess to the crime for five hours, but Larison and Roberts didn't give up.

'He finally not only confessed but led them to a dumpster where he tossed evidence,” Vander Sanden said.

Larison said a case like this is difficult because they need to get thorough and detailed information to catch the suspect but at the same time, be 'gentle and compassionate” to the victim.

'She was in the hospital and was very weak,” Larison said. 'It takes a lot of patience. You have to give her time to process. She is petite but strong and she was in survival mode (during it) to protect her daughter. Her attitude was that she wanted to recover and move forward.”