San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that a 67-year-old man has been sentenced to prison for raping a 6-year-old girl in 1996 as she slept on the family sofa in University City. [WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE.]

Michael D. Graham was sentenced to 60-years-to-life in prison. As his trial was underway and jury selection was in progress, he abruptly pleaded guilty on May 12 to all six charged felony counts of forcible rape, forcible sodomy, aggravated sexual assault and lewd acts on a child. In doing so, Graham admitted special allegations that he personally inflicted torture and great bodily injury upon the child, identified only as Jane Doe to maintain her confidentiality in court, and committed the offenses during a residential burglary.

“For nearly 30 years, this sexual child predator escaped justice for his criminal acts while the victim and her family had to live in fear and suffer through horrendous trauma,” DA Stephan said. “Today, that ends. The defendant will have to live the rest of his years behind bars, paying for what he did. I hope today’s sentence brings a measure of closure to the victim and her family. I want to thank Deputy District Attorneys Dan Owens and Adriana Ross from our Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Division for fighting for justice. Let the message be loud and clear to predators who hurt our children that we will find you and you will face the maximum sentence under the law.”

In February 1996, the then-6-year-old victim fell asleep on the living room couch after watching a movie. Her parents and teenage sister were asleep in their bedrooms. Shortly before 5 a.m., the victim’s mother awakened to the sound of the victim crying and went to check on her. She found the victim lying on the couch naked, her clothes strewn on the floor, her blankets pushed into the back of the couch, and the adjacent sliding glass door was left open. The victim had apparent blood on her inner thighs, and her face was badly swollen and discolored. The victim said, “I had to go to the bathroom, but somebody was pushing me down.”

The victim was rushed to the hospital where she received treatment for apparent chemical burns to her face. A sexual assault forensic exam was done by a physician at Rady’s Children’s Hospital that noted significant genital injuries, and DNA swabs were collected. The victim was forensically interviewed by a specially trained licensed clinical social worker to fully document her statement.

Law enforcement’s response and initial investigation was thorough and all leads were pursued, but the perpetrator remained unidentified for decades. San Diego Police developed a suspect DNA profile from a single source sperm fraction from the victim’s sexual assault kit and officers canvassed various nearby encampments of unhoused individuals and known sex offenders residing in the area to collect reference samples, but all were excluded. In 2000, the unknown suspect DNA profile was uploaded into the newly operational national CODIS DNA database in an effort to identify the perpetrator.

“For three decades, our teams never forgot what the victim and her family went through that night,” said Deputy Police Chief Shawn Takeuchi. “Generations of detectives and forensic analysts have reexamined the evidence from 1996 and leveraged technology to continue their search for the person who did this. We hope this brings peace to the family, knowing that a dangerous predator is off the streets, where he cannot hurt anyone else.”

In December 2023, San Diego Police received a DNA hit from Colorado. Michael Graham had been arrested by the Frederick Police Department, and his DNA was collected as part of his booking process. In Colorado, Graham was charged with 12 felony counts of sexual exploitation of a child following an investigation that revealed that he was in possession of thousands of images of child sexual abuse material. Two weeks later, the Colorado Bureau of Investigations notified the San Diego Police Crime Laboratory of the CODIS match and, while out of custody pending charges in the Colorado case, Graham was arrested in Orlando, Florida by the U.S. Marshalls Service on February 23, 2024.

He was ultimately transported to San Diego, where he was prosecuted for the 1996 rape.

At the sentencing hearing today, a letter from the victim’s mother was read aloud in court. She said:

“I am the mother of my beautiful daughter, the innocent and sweet 6-year-old child that you, Mr. Graham, assaulted, raped and used a chemical substance that burned her sweet little face.  After this day for many years after, this horrendous crime devastated my family and affected us in so many ways. My daughter was hospitalized and transferred to other hospitals for several weeks. The despicable acts you forced on my daughter were so painful to bear. Now, after 30 years, writing this statement brought so many painful memories and tears. I am thankful that you, Mr. Graham, are behind bars and will be locked up for a very long time. You don’t deserve to be free, and I am relieved that you cannot hurt other innocent lives.”

Deputy District Attorneys Dan Owens and Adriana Ross from the DA’s Sex Crimes and Human Trafficking Division prosecuted this case.

[WATCH THE NEWS CONFERENCE.]

San Diego County District Attorney, Summer Stephan, joined the San Diego Domestic Violence Council, San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert, community leaders and other social service agencies to mark the beginning of Domestic Violence Awareness Month at a ceremony at the City of San Diego’s new location for the San Diego Family Justice Center – Your Safe Place, a division of the City Attorney’s Office.

The annual event brings together professionals, survivors, and community members to raise awareness about domestic violence (DV) and remember those whose lives were taken in DV incidents during the previous year. This year, the event theme is “Safe Homes, Strong Communities.” This is the first event of four, with events to occur throughout the county during the month of October.

In 2025, nine people were killed by a current or former intimate partner. Overall DV homicides continue to remain lower than the average from the prior two decades.

The San Diego Domestic Violence Council works with its community partners and law enforcement agencies, like the DA and City Attorney’s Offices, to support victims in several ways.

“Behind every domestic violence homicide is a life that mattered, a family forever changed and a community left to grieve,” DA Stephan said. “We cannot allow these victims to become just names on a list. We honor them by recommitting ourselves to work tirelessly to prevent the next tragedy. I have seen the courage it takes for survivors to come forward and ask for help, and I want every person experiencing abuse to know that they are not alone. As prosecutors, law enforcement, service providers and community members, we all have a role to play in breaking the cycle of violence, protecting victims and preventing deadly violence Through partnerships across our county and resources like the Family Justice Centers, we are working to ensure survivors have a path to safety and the support they need. Safe homes are the foundation of strong communities, and together, we can build a San Diego where every person can live free from abuse and violence.”

Last year, there were 14,979 domestic violence calls for assistance made to law enforcement across San Diego County, a decrease of 4.5% from 2024. The DA’s Office filed charges in 1,823 domestic violence cases in 2025.

One Safe Place: San Diego County Family Justice Centers, which are a project of the DA’s Office, provide resources and services all under one roof for anyone who has experienced abuse or violence. Since opening the One Safe Place: The North County Family Justice Center in San Marcos in 2022, and then One Safe Place: The South County Family Justice Center in National City in 2025, more than 16,400 people have been served.

This year, the event to start off Domestic Violence Awareness Month was held at the San Diego Family Justice Center — Your Safe Place, at its new location in Kearny Mesa. The San Diego Family Justice Center is a division of the City Attorney’s Office and provides comprehensive, confidential services to anyone who has experienced domestic violence, family violence, older and dependent adult abuse, strangulation, sexual assault, sex trafficking, or gun violence.

“Domestic violence, elder abuse, strangulation, sexual assault, trafficking, and gun violence often overlap, and people experiencing them should not have to figure out which door to knock on,” said San Diego City Attorney Heather Ferbert. “The San Diego Family Justice Center welcomes anyone who walks in, confidentially and at no cost. Its new home in Kearny Mesa allows us to serve more survivors. Every San Diegan deserves this support, and my office is committed to ensuring it is there.”

During the event, which included a resource fair and a candlelight vigil ceremony honoring homicide victims, Natalia Duncan shared her personal story of surviving domestic violence.

“Domestic violence is far more common than people realize, and I am proof that it can happen to anyone,” said Natalia Duncan. “If leaving my marriage was a struggle with resources and support behind me, imagine what it takes for a woman with none of that. So instead of asking, ‘Why didn’t she leave?’ ask, ‘What would make it safer and easier for her to leave?’”

The San Diego Domestic Violence Council is a collaboration of organizations and community members who seek to reduce and prevent domestic violence. Partner agencies include the DA’s Office, San Diego County Health and Human Services, the San Diego City Attorney’s Office, the San Diego Sheriff’s Office, and other law enforcement and social services agencies.

“Safe homes are the foundation of strong communities,” said Analicia McKee-Chau, President of the San Diego Domestic Violence Council. “Everyone deserves to live free from fear, abuse, and violence. Creating that safety is something we all have a role in. Safe homes mean survivors know they will be believed, supported, and connected to resources. They mean children grow up understanding that healthy relationships are built on respect, trust, and safety. And they mean friends, neighbors, families, schools, workplaces, and community partners are willing to speak up and stand beside those experiencing abuse. This Domestic Violence Awareness Month, we are reminded that stronger communities begin with safer homes. As a Council, we are committed to coming together, supporting survivors, and working alongside our community to make that a reality.”

If you or someone you know is being abused by a current or former partner, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline (1-800-799-7233) for confidential support and assistance planning for safety. More information and resources can be found on the DA’s website here.

The DV Council will host additional community events throughout October, which you can find here. Attached is a list of domestic violence homicide victims who will not be forgotten.

San Diego County District Attorney Summer Stephan announced today that Jeffrey Roberson, 60, was convicted by a jury of first-degree murder for the 2008 killing of Cecil Zachary Jr., a military veteran with paraplegia who was beaten to death with a wooden log in his Oceanside home. The jury also found true an allegation that Roberson used a deadly weapon, a wooden log, in the commission of the murder.

On June 19, 2008, a home care nurse discovered Zachary, 51, dead in hospital bed in the living room of his home in the 1500 block of Molly Circle in Oceanside’s Fire Mountain neighborhood. A towel covered his face, and responding officers observed obvious signs of trauma. Zachary had been paralyzed from the waist down following a traffic collision decades earlier and rarely left his bed. A log was found at the scene and was suspected to be the murder weapon.  The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s Office determined that he died from blunt-force injuries to the head.

For more than 17 years, investigators worked to identify the person responsible for Zachary’s killing, but the case remained unsolved. The investigation was ultimately revived through advances in forensic DNA technology. Investigators used new DNA technology to extract and collect DNA from the log and a DNA profile was developed that linked Roberson to the killing. In February 2025, Oceanside Police Department detectives arrested Roberson in Spring Valley. During a subsequent police interview, Roberson admitted to killing Zachary, but claimed self-defense. The jury disagreed with that claim.

“This was a brutal and intentional killing of a vulnerable victim in his own home, and for more than 18 years, Cecil’s loved ones had to live with the pain and unanswered questions surrounding his death,” DA Stephan said. “This conviction brings justice and accountability for Cecil, who was a veteran with paraplegia, and his family. It also demonstrates the importance of never giving up on a homicide investigation. Advances in forensic DNA technology gave investigators a new opportunity to uncover critical evidence and identify the person responsible. I am grateful to the Oceanside Police Department investigators and our Cold Case Homicide Unit, especially Deputy DA John Philpott, for their perseverance, dedication, and commitment to pursuing justice for Cecil and his loved ones.”

Roberson’s trial began August 18, 2026, at the Vista Courthouse. After hearing the evidence, the jury returned its verdict on August 27, finding Roberson guilty of first-degree murder and finding true the allegation that he used a deadly weapon, a wooden log, during the commission of the crime.

Roberson’s sentencing is November 16, 2026, at 1:30 p.m. in Department 20 at the Vista Courthouse.

The case was prosecuted by Deputy District Attorney John Philpott from the Cold Case Homicide Unit. The DA’s Cold Case Homicide Unit is dedicated to pursuing justice in unsolved homicide cases by working with law enforcement partners to reexamine evidence, utilize modern investigative techniques and take advantage of advances in forensic science. The Unit works to provide answers to families and hold those responsible for long-unsolved homicides accountable, regardless of how much time has passed.