Man Found Guilty Of Raping Lisle Woman In 1999

LISLE, IL — A Texas man has been found guilty of sexually assaulting a Lisle woman in 1999. Roberto Noyola-Espinal, 41, was convicted on six felony counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault and one felony count of home invasion.

On February 7, 1999, Noyola-Espinal forced his way into a 63-year-old Lisle woman's apartment after she answered the door thinking it was one of her friends. Once he gained entry to the apartment, Noyola-Espinal physically and sexually assaulted the woman before fleeing the scene, police said. He eventually fled to Texas. After the assault, the victim contacted the Lisle Police Department, who did a thorough investigation and collected DNA from inside the woman's apartment. At that time, the victim also identified Noyola-Espinal from a series of photos of potential suspects.

The lengthy investigation came to an end in 2013 when Noyola-Espinal was arrested in Texas on an unrelated matter. His DNA was entered into a national database and registered as a match for the DNA found in the Lisle victim's apartment. In February 2014, Noyola-Espinal was extradited to DuPage County for the 1999 sexual assault. His victim died a few months later.

After Friday's conviction, State's Attorney General Robert Berlin said, "Seventeen years ago, Roberto Noyola-Espinal forced his way in to his victim’s home where he proceeded to commit unspeakable acts against an unsuspecting, innocent woman. While justice may have been a long time coming, today Mr. Noyola-Espinal learned that he will be held responsible for the horrendous acts he committed so many years ago. I would like to commend the men and women of the Lisle Police Department for their persistence and dedication in this case. They never gave up and it is because of their outstanding work Mr. Noyola-Espinal is looking at a very long time behind bars. I would also like to thank Assistant State’s Attorneys Jennifer Lindt and Mike Fisher for their work in holding Mr. Noyola-Espinal responsible for his actions.”

Noyola-Espinal is set to appear in court on June 15, 2017. He faces up to 60 years in prison.

>>Image via DuPage County Sheriff's Office