Evidence ties Janesville man to beating

By TED SULLIVAN   Saturday, July 25, 2009
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Photo

Dustin Sperb

— The man accused of nearly fatally beating an Orfordville woman had her blood on the T-shirt he wore the night of the attack, according to the criminal complaint.

Dustin L. Sperb, 21, of 440 N. Parker Drive, Janesville, also is likely the contributor to a DNA mixture found on the woman’s pubic region, according to the criminal complaint.

A New York Yankees baseball cap Sperb wore that night also was found in the woman’s home, according to the criminal complaint.

Sperb, who appeared in Rock County Court on Friday, voluntarily gave investigators his T-shirt and DNA for analysis at the state crime lab, according to the criminal complaint.

Sperb was held in the Rock County Jail on $40,000 cash bond on felony charges of first-degree sexual assault and aggravated battery.

He is suspected of beating Sandra L. Cole, 47, of 3119 S. Old Highway 11, No. 35, Orfordville, on May 10 in her home in Country Courts Trailer Home Park.

Cole is no longer on life support and is recovering in a Milwaukee area rehabilitation center, investigators said.

According to the criminal complaint:

Sperb was drinking beer and brandy at a bonfire in the trailer park on the night of the attack. He was wearing a Yankees baseball cap.

Several people at the bonfire told investigators Sperb was intoxicated. He grabbed a woman’s 18-month-old son and walked through the fire, angering everyone.

He flirted with a woman. He had a confrontation with a man. He couldn’t stand straight.

Witnesses told investigators Sperb left the fire and was gone for a couple hours.

Sperb told detectives he walked away from the fire, began vomiting and passed out. He said he awoke on a friend’s couch the next morning.

Cole’s daughter, Katie Wagner, told investigators she received a call from Sperb at 10:15 p.m. She has known Sperb for four years. Sperb had been at her mom’s home two weeks earlier.

The two argued on the phone. Sperb called Wagner a name. They talked for 41 seconds.

A deputy was conducting a burglary investigation at a neighbor’s home the following day when Cole’s family member found her.

Cole’s face was swollen and covered in blood. She was unconscious. She was nude from the waist up. Her pants were unzipped.

Cole was evaluated at Mercy Hospital in Janesville. A nurse found signs of sexual penetration.

Cole remained in a coma in Mercy Hospital in Janesville for weeks, officials said, and she was moved to Milwaukee for special treatment.

Sperb is scheduled to appear in court Wednesday.

reader COMMENTS
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(34)
stick420nevens
Dec 7, 2009 at 3:02 p.m.
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I dont blame Dustins family at all.i was duddy(dustin) his family had nothing to do with it. In my opinion the charges should be Attempted Murder and rape not first degree sexual assult and aggravated batery.

Jwhite81
Aug 5, 2009 at 9:19 p.m.
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excuse me... I came from the trailer park, never had any trouble, never caused any either.

JD5
Aug 5, 2009 at 2:02 p.m.
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That whole 'trailer park' needs to be closed down..Nothing but trouble comes out of there!

Jwhite81
Jul 31, 2009 at 7:03 p.m.
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I hear ppl sticking up for THEMSELVES. They can not be guilty by association just becuase they are his family nor can you hold it against them for being behind thier family (Dustin).

mt10dew
Jul 30, 2009 at 8:46 p.m.
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CrystalTracy

Yes I know you , and no your not better than me . And we both know why .Now I am going to withdrawl myself from this post because there is to much family on here defending this dirtbag , I bet if somone did this to your family it would be a diffrent story . Keep sticking up for Dustin his day in court is comming and then you guys will all look like a bunch of fools for defending him .

Jwhite81
Jul 30, 2009 at 6:29 p.m.
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There was no plea made.

Jwhite81
Jul 30, 2009 at 1:02 p.m.
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This was posted by someone on NBC15's story...

Posted by: Anonymous on Jul 29, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Everyone Dustin pleded Guilty on his own....he said he doesn't remember doing it but he remembers waking up to her at his feet and him covered in blood. Im glad she is doing better. And good luck to Dustins family too. I hope Sandy can get out of the hospital and live with her family again. My heart goes out to her and her family.

Ummm... when did he plead guilty?!

CrystalTracy
Jul 30, 2009 at 9:48 a.m.
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Jwhite81>>>Thank You for the update on Sandy, God bless you and yours!

mt10dew>>>> I am defending my family as a whole. You can not hold all of us accountable for what Dustin may or may not have done. As for mentioning his mother by name, do you know her? a friend of hers?

As for someone like me... Do I know you? Have we personally met? Probably not. But you go ahead and talk all the trash you want. Even though I have no idea who you are, I still know that I am a better person than you'll ever be. How do I know this? I would never hold an entire family accountable for the possible actions of one I would never say the deplorable things you have said, even Sandys family has asked you to stop, yet you chose to push on and be negative and mean spirited towards those of us who are doing what family does. I will not further entertain you by discussing things with you any longer.

SarahB1
Jul 30, 2009 at 9:18 a.m.
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Momnahalf: Enough already. You're only making yourself look stupid.

Trichomer
Jul 30, 2009 at 4:18 a.m.
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If I where a Stalinist Comunist Nazi Editor, Id be ashamed to show my face in Janesville after this.

I hope they spit on him.

Momnahalf
Jul 30, 2009 at 4:06 a.m.
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Are you reading the truth, or what Editor Scott Angus wants you to hear ? It seems Mr. Angus has taken up censorship on other articles on the Gazette Extra.....

http://www.gazettextra.com/news/2009/jul...

Jwhite81
Jul 29, 2009 at 9:29 p.m.
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CrystalTracy
Thank you for your prayers. Mine go to your family as well!

Update on Sandy: She is still getting very tired after dinner but during the day she is actually talking. Her son has been up to see her and said she talked for awhile to him and his friend. She remembers her family and friends, its looking alot better!

Jwhite81
Jul 29, 2009 at 9:26 p.m.
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mt10dew
Acutally it is NOT only his family. It is her family too! We would like to wait until the verdict is in! Its Gods job to judge. I am her neice and even her childrens father has been on here. Stop attacking his family. Use prayers instead of attacking innocent ppl!

mt10dew
Jul 29, 2009 at 9:08 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
CrystalTracy
Jul 29, 2009 at 10:06 a.m.
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First off my thoughts and prayers to Sandy and her family.
TO: mt10dew
<<<Jul 28, 2009 at 7:40 a.m. Did anyone go to ccap and just type in his last name ? Seems it runs in the family .I hope the courts make him pay if he is found guilty there is no excuse for this crime>>>>

ARE YOU KIDDING ME? To attack an entire family because of what one individual may or may not have done is complete ignorance on your part. To say that this runs in OUR family is a slap in the face! Who are you to sit there behind your little pc screen and make such a statement. What is YOUR last name. Lets run it through CCAP and see what your last name turns up and another thing to just put a last name into CCAP and assume all those records that come back are all relatives is absurd.... to say all Sperbs are related means all Hansons are related or all Smiths and Jones are related right? You ignorant, simple minded "donkey".

Jwhite81
Jul 28, 2009 at 10:57 p.m.
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You said it 'uncle' Wags!

wags
Jul 28, 2009 at 10:42 p.m.
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i am glad to see support for sandy but lets not prosecute dustins family dustin will have his day in court. if it was him thats fine it wasnt his family so please lay off his family and im asking as her ex husband and father of sandy's children

leostime36
Jul 28, 2009 at 9:05 p.m.
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It is sad that people...friends and family have to face the facts & DNA...this guy did a terrible thing and will have to own up to it. DNA on her shirt and other places shows who it was. Pretty sure it wasn't planted...who would have the time and desire to even deal with THAT?? Anyways, sad story all around. People need to stop sticking up for this pos and move on to accepting that he did it. He needs to deal with the consequences.

mt10dew
Jul 28, 2009 at 7:40 a.m.
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Did anyone go to ccap and just type in his last name ? Seems it runs in the family .

I hope the courts make him pay if he is found guilty there is no excuse for this crime .

tay_luver
Jul 27, 2009 at 1:51 p.m.
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Duddy is a good kid. He's had anger problems his whole life but I honestly don't believe he'd do something crazy like that. And I've known him my whole life. I really hope that they can find some way to prove that he didn't do this because he's family and this just sucks.. and I am terribly sorry for what has happened but I know in my heart that he didn't do this.

Jwhite81
Jul 26, 2009 at 2:29 p.m.
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Well it was said becuase everyone is saying what dna did they find and where did they find it. Her family a friends already no the story of the 'state' that she was found in. Her son Billy talked about it on the news. As far as too much information, actually if you read the posting this article did a really good job of answering questions that everybody is answering. I am her neice and even without an article this is not something she or her family or friends will ever forget. And I know that your her friend but... "Sandy WAS a great lady" hmm.. She still is and will always be a great lady. My prayers go out to her, her kids and Dustin's family and Im sure her prayers would go out to them to. God Bless

janesvillemom
Jul 26, 2009 at 11:51 a.m.
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There are three sentences that could have been respectfully combined into "There was evidence of a sexual assault." The level of detail is disrespectful of a woman who has been through enough already!

jfamof6
Jul 26, 2009 at 10:16 a.m.
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Sandy does have a family and friends and having all the details in the newspaper make them have to relive the night of HELL she went thru!!!!!!!

janesvillemom
Jul 26, 2009 at 8:37 a.m.
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I don't think the details related to the woman's body are necessary when her identity is known and she is a rape victim. Have some respect!

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