(WWJ) - The 32-year-old man charged with murdering a missing Farmington Hills woman two years ago briefly appeared in court Friday morning.
Floyd Galloway, Jr. is accused of first-degree murder in Danielle Stislicki's presumed death. He appeared via video for a short pre-trial conference hearing at 47th District Court in Farmington Hills.
Galloway is currently being housed at the Oakland County Jail. He's due back in court on April 19, followed by a preliminary exam on June 3.
Stislicki's parents were in court for the hearing. Her mother, Ann, was emotionally exhausted.
"It gets to be tiring, I mean, it's emotional," she told WWJ's Vickie Thomas. "You absolutley have no control."
While her father agreed, he said they're fortunate to see the wheels of justice turning -- even ever so slightly.
"This is a step forward. It's all baby steps right now. The legal process is a long process -- that's ok. We see that we're moving forward," he said.
Stislicki was last seen leaving work on December, 2, 2016. The 28-year-old, who went by "Dani," planned to meet up with a friend for dinner that night -- but she never showed up. Her Jeep was found a day later parked outside her home at the Independence Green apartments, in the area of Halsted and Grand River in Farmington Hills, with her purse inside. Police found no signs of a struggle but said Stislicki was likely the victim of a crime.
At the time of her disappearance, Galloway was employed as a security guard at MetLife where Stislicki worked. Police searched Galloway's home in Berkley a few weeks after Stislicki went missing and although they wouldn't comment at the time, neighbors said they saw officers taking a mattress and other items out of the home.
Galloway has denied knowing what happened to Stislicki. He is currently serving time for the attempted rape of a jogger in Hines Park in Livonia -- an attack that happened three months before Stislicki disappeared.
In that case, the victim was on a bike path Sept. 4, 2016 when Galloway attacked -- strangling her and punching her in the face before dragging her into the woods toward the Rouge River. While she struggled, Galloway tried to take her clothes off, demanding sex -- but the victim was able to fight him off and get away. She flagged down a passing motorist and used his phone to call 911 while Galloway ran away.
Cell phone records and DNA tests helped make a case against Galloway, who was arrested and charged nine months after the attack. In December 2017, he pleaded guilty to kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct and assault with intent to do bodily harm.
Though local agencies never brought charges against Galloway in the Stislicki case, investigators poured over "hundreds of pieces of evidence," served dozens of search warrants, and have said repeatedly that the investigation was headed in the right direction.
Newly appointed Attorney General Dana Nessel decided to pursue charges after Oakland County prosecutors declined, partially because Stislicki's body has never been found. Nessel says enough "compelling" evidence exists to charge Galloway with murder.