'I Thought He Was the One I Could Trust'

This article was written by Aysha Jamali

Robert Louis Messer, of Northville, faces charges of multiple sex crimes after disappearing with a Plymouth Township teenager last month.

Messer, 37, listened to testimony from Lisa Schwartz, mother of Emily Lalinsky, 15, during the first day of his preliminary examination Friday at 35th District Court.

>>Watch her testimony in the video above.

Messer, who has known the family for about 10 years, is charged in connection with the disappearance of Lalinksy on Oct. 27. He faces one count of Criminal Sexual Conduct First Degree, three counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct Third Degree and one count of Accosting a Minor for Immoral Purposes

“Him and Emily loved to take photos. They loved to go hiking,” Schwartz said during her testimony.

She said the family knew Messer through church and Lalinsky would often spend time with him since she was about 10 years old. The Thursday before they disappeared, Messer was at their home watching a movie, she said. 

“Emily looked up to him as a father figure,” she said.

Mother says teen feels ashamed

The morning they disappeared, she said, Lalinsky told her they were going to take pictures of the fall colors. It wasn’t until about 4:30 p.m. that she got a call from Messer’s parent’s home indicating that the two had left behind a note, she said.

“Both of their phones were also left behind,” she said.

Schwartz said she was not reunited with her daughter until Oct. 29 at St. Mary’s in Livonia where her daughter was being treated for injuries that needed stitches. Police found the pair in Washtenaw County in a field near Seven Mile and Chubb Road in Salem Township. She said she was glad her daughter was safe, but that the teen was pale and dehydrated.

Messer was someone the family trusted, Schwartz said.

“Out of everyone I knew, I thought he was the one I could trust,” she said.

Schwartz said her daughter feels ashamed and is worried what everyone thinks of her and is seeking counseling.

Messer's ex-wife made an allegation about his relationship with the teen 

During questioning by the Messer’s attorney, Jonathan Jones, Schwartz acknowledged there was an incident last year that indicated Messer and Lalinsky might be romantically involved. Messer’s ex-wife told police amid a custody battle about his relationship with the teen, she said, but the assigned detective did not pursue the case further. Schwartz said Messer also assured her there was nothing going on.

“He goes, ‘I wouldn’t do that to you guys,’” she said.

Aimee M. Fowler, assistant prosecuting attorney, requested that Lalinsky’s testimony be closed to the public due to her age. She is the only other witness expected to testify. 

“I don’t want to make a decision right now,” Judge Michael Gerou said.

He said he will review Fowler’s motion to determine if it’s in the best interest of the court to keep Lalinsky’s testimony private. 

The preliminary examination will continue at 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 19 at 35th District Court. Messer’s bond of $2 million/10 percent will continue.

Patch typically does not name juveniles in court proceedings, but is in this case as police publicly released the teen's name when she first went missing.