Judge bars man's earlier rape arrest in murder case

Nearly 15 months before Lauren Kiefer was attacked on Christmas near Oakbrook Terrace, another young woman was raped in her home in Aurora.

The same man, Robert Rejda, 26, is accused of committing both crimes.

DuPage Circuit Judge Michael Burke on Thursday denied the prosecution's request to present evidence of the Aurora sexual assault during Rejda's pending murder trial.

Rejda hasn't been convicted of either crime, but DuPage State's Attorney Joseph Birkett said there is compelling evidence of his guilt in each. He argued the attacks are very similar.

DuPage Public Defender Robert Miller fought the request. He argued it is far too prejudicial, if allowed, for Rejda to receive a fair trial in the death-penalty case.

The law allows prosecutors to use a defendant's past sex offenses, to a limit, during a pending trial to show propensity, motive or a similar pattern of such violence. But Burke ruled the two attacks were too dissimilar to fit the law's narrow guidelines.

Birkett said he'll ask the judge to reconsider his ruling.

He also is asking to be able to mention the earlier rape during the death-penalty eligibility phase should Rejda be convicted of the murder.

Rejda grew up within a mile of 24-year-old Lauren Kiefer and, though they didn't keep in touch, the two went to high school together.

Her mother, Janice, discovered her daughter's body in their home after returning from a family holiday gathering about 7:15 p.m. last Christmas. Both of them attended the party, but they left separately.

Authorities accused Rejda of breaking in and then, after Lauren interrupted the burglary, fatally beating her with a baseball bat. He also is accused of sexually assaulting her with the bat.

Nearly 15 months earlier, another woman was attacked on Oct. 9, 2005, while stepping out of her car in the garage of her far east-side Aurora home. She could not identify her rapist, who covered her face with a pillow.

In that crime, Rejda is accused of following the woman home after spotting her on the road in another car driving alone.

Burke ruled that, besides the fact both women were young and attractive and money was taken, the two crimes are not similar.

For example, he said one woman was raped while the other was murdered. The crimes differed in the time of day they occurred and the weapon that was used.

Birkett said Rejda was linked to both crimes through DNA evidence. He said the defendant's fingerprint also was found inside the Aurora home. Also, phone records show a call was placed from Rejda's home to Kiefer's the day she was killed.

A trial date in both cases has not been set yet. Rejda is being held in the DuPage County jail. He has pleaded innocent to both crimes.