A man accused in a Centre County rape case that is more than 25 years old claims he is innocent and is now asking for jury trial as prosecutors say work on a possible plea bargain continues.
In waiving his formal arraignment on Wednesday in Centre County court, Kurt Rillema also claimed his innocence and requested a jury trial.
Using DNA from a cup, police charged Rillema in 2023 with raping a 19 year old Penn State student in July of 2000.
Having only the DNA evidence, police initially filed a John Doe warrant in the case, which became a cold case for decades.
Eventually it was learned that DNA evidence from a Michigan case, that was also a golf course sexual assault, was also a link to Rillema.
He eventually pleaded no contest to charges in Michigan and is currently serving a 10 to 15 year prison sentence.
Meanwhile, in Centre County, a pre-trial conference for Rillema has been scheduled for September, on eight criminal charges.
Prosecutors say they have been consulting with the woman Rillema is accused of attacking at the Penn State course, and it’s possible that a plea bargain could be reached before the
end of the year.