‘I was set up.’ Accused Pillowcase Rapist makes first in-person appearance in Miami court
Robert Koehler, the accused Pillowcase Rapist suspected of attacking dozens of women across South Florida in the
1980s, made his first inperson court appearance this week — to claim he was “set up” by police, question his defense lawyer’s aggressiveness and complain about conditions in jail.
Koehler, 61, was jailed in January 2020 after police detectives say they had matched his DNA profile to a rape that happened in Northwest Miami-Dade County in 1983. Police believe Koehler is the notorious rapist who was blamed for at least 40 rapes in South Florida in the early 1980s. For years, the intruder sneaked into apartments and town homes, raping women at knifepoint while cloaking their heads with a pillowcase or other fabric.
The State Attorney’s Office later announced DNA matches had tied him to at least 25 attacks, although he is only charged with one case, a strategy that may enable a quicker conviction.
Koehler had made one previous court appearance, via closed-circuit TV from the jail, days after his arrest.
The COVID-19 pandemic had derailed MiamiDade’s justice system, as courthouses shut down — and trials suspended — for 15 months. In that time, hearings had been held via
Zoom. In-person court hearings resumed on June 28.
Koehler’s trial had been set for August, although a judge said Wednesday that it would likely get delayed as more depositions need to be taken.
The court, however, held Wednesday’s hearing to listen to Koehler’s complaints about his representation by the MiamiDade Public Defender’s Office.
But Koehler — who appeared in court in a wheelchair — complained mostly about how he’s been treated in jail, claimed he’s been poisoned and saying he was made to crawl on “my hands and knees.” He complained that his attorney, Damaris Del Valle, hadn’t secured video of him falling in jail.
“She’s very nice, sweet. Personality is great,” Koehler acknowledged in a rambling speech in which he alleged he as the victim of some nebulous conspiracy starting with Miami-Dade police. “I was set up,” he claimed, saying: “I didn’t ask to be here. I didn’t ask for any of this to happen to me.”
Miami-Dade Circuit Judge Daryl Trawick appeared to roll his eyes before sipping his coffee. He praised Del Valle, a longtime public defender who handles major cases, calling her the “best in the business.”
“It sounds like she is doing everything she can in preparing your defense on the underlying charges,” Trawick said.
Koehler ended up agreeing to have Del Valle remain on the case.
David Ovalle: 305-376-3379, @davidovalle305