OAKLAND COUNTY (WWJ) - A new court ruling has thrown out some evidence collected early against a suspect in the seven-year-old disappearance and presumed murder case of Farmington Hills woman Danielle Stislicki.
It's a major set back for prosecutors who have been arguing to use the evidence in the trial against former security guard Floyd Galloway Jr., who emerged as a primary suspect early in the investigation after he was one of the last people to see her.
Stislicki, of Farmington Hills, disappeared after she left work in Southfield in December of 2016. While her body has not been found, Galloway was charged with her murder.
The evidence at the center of a bitter battle between Galloway's defense and Oakland County prosecutors was ruled inadmissible by an appeals court on Monday.
The ruling stated the way the evidence -- including Stislicki’s keys, Fitbit device, the security footage and testimony that put Galloway in the area -- violated Galloway’s attorney-client privilege.
Galloway's lawyers accused Troy's former Police Chief Gary Mayer of breaking the law when he shared the results of Galloway's polygraph test with Farmington Hills' former Police Chief Chuck Nebus.
Galloway's attorney said the person who administered the lie detector test was reportedly so disturbed about what Galloway had shared that he leaked information to Mayer who then told Nebus.
The Farmington Hills police chief then acted on the information, leading detectives to find some of Stislicki's belongings and the security footage.
The defense called the sharing of information a violation of due process.
While some evidence cannot be used at trial, the appeals court did rule to allow records from Stislicki's phone -- which was never found -- to be used as they were collected during the investigation, but prior to the leaked lie detector test.
While the murder case continues to drag on, Galloway remains in prison for attacking a jogger in a Livonia's Hines Park in 2017, three months before Stislicki went missing. He pleaded guilty to kidnapping, criminal sexual conduct, and assault with intent to do bodily harm and was sentenced to 16 to 35 years in prison.
Stislicki was last seen on December, 2, 2016.
The 28-year-old, who went by "Dani," planned to meet up with a friend for dinner that night, but 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. When searched Galloway's home a few weeks after Stislicki went missing, neighbors said they saw officers taking a mattress and other items out of the home.
Oakland County Medical Examiner L.J. Dragovic in December of 2018 issued a death certificate for Stislicki, stating she appears to have been a victim of assault, abducted by force and killed by violence on the day she disappeared.
Despite the fact that there is no body, WWJ Legal Analyst Charlie Langton said prosecutors apparently determined there was enough circumstantial evidence to charge Galloway with first degree murder. It remains to be seen whether or not there is enough evidence to convict.
Anyone with information about this case can leave an anonymous tip at 248-871-2610.