Assistant prosecutor Rick Bombik has long legal career

CLEVELAND - Cuyahoga County assistant prosecuting attorney Richard Bombik is one of two prosecutors on the trial of Anthony Sowell, who faces nearly 100 charges including murder and kidnapping.

Bombik was set to retire before being assigned this case.

"The Empire State Building took one year and 45 days to build the structure. They're had 18 months and they are still digging, digging, digging," Bombik said, following one of the defense team’s many motions to delay the trial.

A month after the body’s were found at Sowell’s home in the Mount Pleasant neighborhood of Cleveland, Bombik commented that the accused serial killed had a “specific scheme of doing things” and a “distinct pattern.”

"The three people that survived in this case will be probably the most important evidence in the case because it will show a pattern," he said, shortly after the gruesome discovery. "The guy does have this thing for choking people. ... It's the same pattern except three of them lived to escape and talk about it."

"There were 11 atrocities and five near atrocities," Bombik said, during his opening statements. "I look forward to bringing Anthony Sowell to justice. And I also look forward to bringing justice to Anthony Sowell."