NEW YORK TEEN BRITTANEE DREXEL SENT EERIE TEXTS TO BOYFRIEND BEFORE DISAPPEARANCE, DEATH: REPORT. In recent years this method has helped solve some of the nations most high-profile cold cases, including the one of the notorious Golden State Killer. Investigators discovered, however, that soon after that interview, Smith had moved to Little Falls, New York, and changed his surname to Becker a circumstance that prompted them to bring him in for a new round of interviews. There was just intimate details about where she was disposed of, how her clothes were displayed, stuff like that, Womer said. Richard Cottingham and victim Diane Cusick. appreciated. A triple homicide committed 50 years ago has been solved after the Watauga County Sheriff's Office in North Carolina received information revealed by a Georgia inmate during a visit . Fortes DNA was a match to genetic material found on the victims jacket.[7]. After being known as Melanie, she plans to change her name to Melissa. When the officers arrived, they found the pair lying in the middle of the roadway next to the mothers car, both shot in the head, the document said. Grim died in 2018, but through an undisclosed method, police were able to obtain a sample of his DNA to match the evidence retrieved from the letter. The Riverside County DA's Regional Cold Case Homicide Team, which was formed in 2020, took the case on and sent a sample of the remains to Texas-based laboratory Othram Inc. Follow reporterLilly St. Angelo onTwitter: @lilly_st_ang. In addition, forensic genetic genealogy has given back the names of Jane and John Does who had remained unidentified for decades. Proud "Mommy" to Crocker and Phi Phi. Online records show he is not eligible for parole in that state until 2030. The real Melissa Highsmith beside a colorized photo illustration of what she was believed to look like from the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children. Physical evidence was able to close the deal in 2022. (Nassau County District Attorney's Office). The Best New Cooking & Food Shows of 2022, 2022 Movie Moments That Punched Us in the Gut, True Crime Cold Cases That Had Updates In 2022. By. However, using DNA from Goulds surviving relatives, police were able to determine with certainty that he was responsible for the double homicide and sexual assault of Lloyd and Kalitzke. Jamie founded Listverse due to an insatiable desire to share fascinating, obscure, and bizarre facts. What is everyone talking about? In September 2022, Drummond died by suicide as the police were closing in a life that almost certainly would have been lived out in the slammer otherwise. Mr. Missing Melissa Highsmith reunited with family. Police theorized that the killing may have been part of a pattern of attempted child abductions going on at the time, and over the years following, they investigated a slew of potential suspects, even resorting to the not-so-solid technique of hypnotizing subjects in their attempts to elicit a confession. The body of a young child tragically known as "Little Miss Nobody" was identified in February after remaining a mystery for over 60 years. "I am mourning my beautiful daughter Brittanee as I have for the past 13 years. In 2019, with help from Parabon Nano-Labs, the DNA profile was uploaded to GED Match, a genealogical database. NYC 'TORSO KILLER PLEADS GUILTY TO 1968 MURDER OF LONG ISLAND WOMAN DIANE CUSICK, ADMITS TO KILLING 4 OTHERS. An undated image of Sharon Gallegos. She described Dahn as an amazing person who played the violin and guitar. The 76- and 73-year-olds were found stabbed to death in their home, which showed no signs of forced entry. Many questions still remain about the case, but Holly has reportedly been in contact with her newfound family members. After her death, Reyes aunt took her in and raised her while her two brothers moved in with their father. Key pieces of evidence had been kept in storage, however, and in 2014 several items including a LARK cigarette butt found on the floor next to Curran after the murder were sent to a forensic lab in New York City for DNA testing. She was eventually dubbed the El Dorado Jane Doe.. The family of Melissa Highsmith provided this photo of her as a baby. We live in an era of incredible technology: cars, computers, and even robots. Leads fail to pan out, witnesses change their tunes or disappear altogether, and collected evidence fails to provide the iron-clad proof required for an arrest and conviction; for mere mortals, it can all become exceedingly frustrating. The detectives careful preservation of DNA evidence in 1988 provided a solid foundation for todays investigators to examine with new technology, Pennsylvania State Police Sgt. A number of true crime updates came to light in 2022, with many cold cases solved through forensic genetic genealogy. DNA genealogy was used to compare the sample to public databases to find familial matches. In March 2022, a Chattahoochee County Grand Jury made the decision to indict 64-year-old Marcellus McCluster for the murder of then-20-year-old Rene Dawn Blackmore of Arizona. the one of the notorious Golden State Killer. That is, until 2019, when Detective Sgt. Rita Curran was violently murdered in her Vermont apartment in 1971 and the case remained a mystery for decades. The gun used in the killings has not been recovered. The case gained national attention, even serving as the basis of an HBO special in 1983; justice, though, was a long time in coming. The cases of Sophie Sergie and Marise Ann Chiverella went unsolved for decades, but thanks to DNA a. CNNs Jessica Prater contributed to this report. Recent groundbreaking technology has revolutionized the way law enforcement investigates cold cases and has led to breaks in dozens of previously unsolved cases in 2022 alone. They declined to elaborate how they obtained his DNA when hes been dead for four years. The 40+ Best Companies To Work For By The Beach in Southern California. A spot of blood on the victims shirt that seemed to suggest the culprit stood over the body and bled on the shirt as he ransacked the victims pockets. In this case, it led back to Rueben Smith. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. "We determine if someone is missing and if someone is missing with a vehicle. Anna Kane. Kane was reportedly working as a prostitute at the time she was killed and may have been meeting a customer, Womer said, adding that police are trying to determine whether it was Grim. We will be examining cold cases that were solved in 2022. The case was re-investigated by Yolanda McClary, a genealogy research and crime scene investigator, in 2018, and four years of searching finally led to Kelly's true identity being uncovered. The family reunited with Melissa, who now goes by Melanie, in Texas on the night of Thanksgiving and learned that she had grown up just minutes from where she was taken. Investigators determined Drexel was strangled. In a statement announcing the closure of the investigation, the Santa Cruz County Sheriff's Office stated its confidence that "the evidence in this case would support a conviction of Drummond for the murder of Joette Smith.". In January 1981, the remains of a man and a woman were found murdered in woods outside of Houston, TX. ". A man named Michael Louise, who was the Peacocks son-in-law, was identified as a suspect a few weeks later. According to the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the Highsmith family had just moved to the Fort Worth area, and Melissa's mother placed a local newspaper ad seeking a babysitter. Cates had developed a habit of borrowing and pawning power tools from Stagner, a city maintenance worker, in order to support this habit; even Cates' own family members had long suspected his involvement in the killing, but police were never able to gather enough evidence to support a probable cause warrant for his arrest. While Rice told police the two were best friends, others in their circle reported that the two weren't getting along, and that Knutson was afraid of Rice. I traveled the world as a photographer. I went to the streets. The extensive family tree Schubert put together led investigators to James Forte, who had a record of violent sexual assault. TheYavapai County Sheriff's Office said witnesses reported that a man, woman and child approached Sharon in a dark green sedan. All Rights Reserved. Las Vegas police Lt. Ray Spencer announced Monday that advanced DNA testing helped investigators solve the cold case homicide of 16-year-old Kim Bryant. Although her mother had a dark past that included drug use and prostitution, she was trying to turn her life around, Reyes said. But while her killer was soon arrested and convicted, her identity turned out to be a longer mystery. In October 2022, Moody was sentenced to life in prison plus two consecutive 30-year stretches, ensuring that the now-62-year-old will never walk free again. (Jason Lee/The Sun News via AP). After he'd moved to Texas, and his letters had stopped coming, his mother says she was contacted by a member of the organization about returning his car. Going over the old case files, they zeroed in on Larry David Smith, who had been interviewed in connection with the slaying in 1973 but was never seriously considered a suspect. (NCMEC/ Highsmith family Facebook page). appreciated. The most stubborn cold case in the history of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, was finally cracked in 2022 thanks to an ingenious piece of investigative work. On Tuesday, investigators said they had solved the casethrough modern DNA and genealogy technology. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. To put the numbers in perspective, it is estimated that there have only been 117 billion people who have ever inhabited earth, the police statement said. One of the few people with keys to the apartment was Knutson's then 18-year-old roommate, Nichole Rice, who quickly fell under suspicion. She was more than that, she was a victim. DNA technology was credited with cracking the case. The murder caused ripples of fear in a time when many Burlingtonresidents left front doors unlocked, and the killer remained a mystery for decades, despite the police looking into hundreds of tips. Highsmith was only 21 months old when shewas kidnappedby a woman purporting to be a babysitter more than a half a century ago. It also did not match the known DNA of the police's 13 main suspects. The case went cold until 2007 when the states DNA lab was able to develop the suspects DNA profile using fluid that was left on Chiverellas jacket. She also enjoyed playing the organ. While not all breaks have led to arrests just yet, police have been able to use modern DNA forensics technology and genetic genealogy to link evidence from crime scenes to a certain person or group. Acting on the suspicions of her family in Mexico, authorities examined trace DNA from the ropes used to bind her, comparing it with DNA given by the family of Edward Geddes (pictured), Lina's husband, who had died by suicide in 2001. Genetic genealogys effectiveness in cold cases depends on the quality of crime scene DNA and whether it has degraded, State Police Trooper Daniel Womer said at a news conference last week. The bodies of Falcon-Dewey and her son were discovered on October 28, 1994, after a Seattle Times newspaper delivery person called 911 and reported seeing the mothers body, according to a probable cause document. 7.6K 402K views 6 months ago In this video, we will talk about decades-old cold cases that were solved in 2022. Due to these advances, police have been able to close the book on many cold case murders, all thanks to criminals who left a little DNA before they even knew it could get them caught. The man behind the abduction, rape and death of upstate New York teenager Brittanee Drexel pleaded guilty in October to a case that went cold after the 17-year-olds disappearance during spring break 2009. or redistributed. It was hurtful. Market data provided by Factset. The most incriminating evidence: a cigarette butt found next to Curran's body that contained DNA evidence. After more than 25 years, she was finally identified as Joyce Meyer, a woman who had drifted apart from her family after moving to Virginia in the mid-'80s. The woman took her fromher home in Fort Worth, Texas, in August 1971. DeRoos was found dead of a drug overdose in a hotel room in 1986. The investigation determined that Forte was the suspect in Chiverellas death. In October 2000, a sample of DNA was taken from underneath Dahns fingernails. Brett Bowen sent DNA from Loves sexual assault for advanced DNA testing and forensic genealogy. Known only as Kelly to protect her family's privacy, the woman's identity was finally revealed through DNA testing. It did. A Danby, Vermont couple, George and Catherine Peacock, were murdered in September 1989. (Jeff Highsmith). Amazingly, the cold case was solved within 20 minutes by YouTubers Adventures with Purpose (AWP). Published Mark Beyer, who was 2-years-old when his mother was murdered. Colorado police solve four decades-old homicide cold cases with DNA from exhumed killer Vianne Falcon, Falcon-Dewey's mother, told CNN affiliate KING on Wednesday that she was emotionally. DEC 21, 2022; DNA LEADS TO IDENTITY OF COLD CASE MURDER VICTIM DNA LEADS TO IDENTITY OF COLD CASE MURDER VICTIM. Unfortunately, Simcak will never be tried for the death of Madger, as he died in 2018.[9]. When they did, the now-elderly killer presumably weary from looking over his shoulder for 45 years broke down and confessed to the crime. Most cold cases do not get solved, so it is still fairly a spectacular occurrence when one is. In late March 1983, the body of Joette Smith was found floating in the San Lorenzo River. This finally happened in 2022, when DNA information provided to public websites by members of the killer's family allowed authorities to focus on Scott Grim, a resident of the area who had never been charged with any crime. In this case, it appears justice will indeed be served; as of this writing, Sinopoli is being held without bail, awaiting trial for Biechler's murder. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions. But, after 52 years, Curran's family finally has closure. Beyer said he was blown away when he heard how his mothers case had finally been solved. According to Garden Grove Deputy Police Chief Amir Al Farra, she was sexually assaulted and strangled to death. If a possible match is found, genealogists can build out family trees to help police find potential suspects. Information about the babysitter has not been released, although Melissa said she contacted the woman who raised her, who admitted that she was the missing child. For 34 years, Reyes, along with her two brothers and their grandmother, have wondered who killed Kane. Why did he kill a young woman who was just trying to take care of her children? However, this was the '80s, and it would take a while for the science of genetic genealogy to help the cops pin down their suspect. A Warner Bros. In 2007, Anita Knutson was a student attending Minot State University in North Dakota. According to NPR, the investigation into the crime went nowhere for decades, until the resolution of a cold case in a nearby county prompted investigators to use blood evidence from the scene to attempt to whittle down their suspect list. The 17-year-old had left home in Chili, NY, without telling her parents, who were going through a divorce. DNA testing of Curran's housecoat at the lab in Florida further confirmed that DeRoos had committed the crime. According to one friend, Rice had told Knutson, One way or another, Im going to get you out of this house. Still, Rice had an alibi; she said she had been staying out of town at her family's farm all weekend. Her father, Jeffrie Highsmith, submitted his DNA to the website, and he was matched to Melissa's three children as their grandfather. Mutual Fund and ETF data provided by Refinitiv Lipper. Forte you would need to search over 4 million planet earths.. Reyes still has so many questions shed ask Grim if he was still alive. When Diane Lynn Dahn missed her shift at the San Diego Transit Corporation on May 2, 1988, a coworker went to her apartment to check on her. With each breakthrough, investigators have gotten one step closer to finding answers and, in turn, a resolution. (Provided by family to Fox News Digital), "A woman answered the ad and agreed to meet her at the restaurant where she worked, but she never showed up," the NCMEC said. Nadine Madger was a Willoughby, Ohio, woman who was found murdered in January 1980. Originally from Rochester, New York, Drexel was spending her spring break vacation in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and was last seen walking from one hotel to another. An image of "Little Miss Nobody," a girl discovered in a remote Arizona desert more than 60 years ago. The DNA profile matched Eric Drummond. The Serial podcast, HBO series, and other court hearings and investigations over the years had brought up, among other issues, questions about Syed's lawyer, who was disbarred in 2001, the lack of DNA evidence pointing to Syed at the murder scene, and the reliability of a witness. This facial reconstruction is an artist's rendering of what the Jane Doe may have looked like. Using data from Brittanee's cell phone, authorities were finally able to pinpoint the location of Brittanee's disappearance more effectively than in previous attempts, which led to the discovery of a surveillance video implicating Moody in the crime, as reported by Democrat & Chronicle. While police determined the murders to be connected and despite following many leads, the case eventually went cold. until you are in jail. He was identified as a suspect five years after Smith was found, but with no physical evidence to tie him to the murder, he was never arrested. During the following decades, Highsmith's family, police, and federal officials searched for her and followed up leads, to no avail. NILES, Mich. - A Michigan cold case that dates back to 1987 was solved earlier this year, and Western Michigan University students . In April 1982, U.S.. Legal Statement. The man who would eventually be named as her killer, Raymond Moody, had been a person of interest in Brittanee Drexel's disappearance as far back as 2012 but until just recently, they had nothing solid connecting him to the crime. CeCe Moore, scientist and genealogy expert at Parabon Nanolabs, was able to match the DNA to William DeRoos within hours of research through genealogical records and public records. The defendant bound Stacy Falcon-Dewey, beat her, orally raped her and likely shot her child to death in front of her before killing her. REMAINS OF NY TEEN BRITTANEE DREXEL FOUND 13 YEARS AFTER GOING MISSING IN SOUTH CAROLINA, SUSPECT CHARGED, Her mother, Dawn, called the discovery of Brittanees remains "the beginning of a new chapter. Family members who knew Dahn described her as a goofy, funny person who loved to draw qualities Beyer said, he too, has within him. But years turned into decades, and police still didnt know who the suspect was. Melissa's sister, Sharon Highsmith, wrote on Facebook: Our finding Melissa was purely because of DNA, not because of any police/FBI involvement, podcast involvement, or even our familys own private investigations or speculations. Discovery Company. On September 19, 2022, a federal judge vacated the conviction of Adnan Syed, the subject of the 2014 podcast Serial and the 2016 HBO docuseries The Case Against Adnan Syed, after 23 years. Wise died in a car crash in 1999, but that fact did nothing to diminish the power of the statement given by the FBI's Atlanta office in the wake of the resolution of the case. 2. Reyes said one of her fondest childhood memories was taking walks with her mother and seeing her suddenly dance to random music playing in stores as they passed. Both were signed "Jane Doe," and despite their best efforts, police were unable to identify the woman who would become known as the "Christmas tree lady" (via DC News Now). Anna Kane was 26 when her body was found on October 23, 1988, in a wooded area near Reading, Pennsylvania, with baling twine around her neck. A photo of 20-year old Eve Wilkowitz from Project: Cold Case. These familial matches led police to David Sinopoli, one of Beichlers neighbors at the time. Did you encounter any technical issues? In March 2022, 15 years after Knutson's murder, police arrested Rice (34 at the time) for the murder. FOLEY, Ala. ( WALA) - Twenty-two years ago, a man's body was pulled from Styx River in . 2. A DNA sample taken at the time of that arrest was eventually used to connect him to the Lloyd and Cuevas slayings. Highsmith disappeared from Fort Worth, Texas, Aug. 23, 1971, when she was just 21 months old. Stacy Falcon-Dewey, 23, and her 3-year-old son, Jacob Dewey, were found shot dead on October 28, 1994, in Renton, Washington. We have so many precious memories of Marise. No one deserves what happened to her.. Market data provided by Factset. Dahns family, including Mark Beyer, her then 2-year-old son who has no recollection of the incident, spent 34 years wondering who murdered her and why, but thanks to investigative genetic genealogy, investigators were able to track down the suspect, Warren Robertson, a man who also lived in the same apartment complex as Dahn in 1988, according to investigators. when he met his second wife, Sarah Hepting. Did you encounter any technical issues? I felt a little bit of everything when I found out, she told CNN. After being interviewed by troopers in his Arkansas home in early August 2020, Branch died by suicide. Reyes was 9 when her mother was killed, and said she thinks about her every day. Her body was found half-naked after being sexually assaulted and strangled to death on January 1, 1985. The most incriminating evidence was a cigarette butt found next to Curran's body. Jones arraignment is slated for March 1, according to the Superior Court clerks office. The cops never took their eye off of Drummond despite the fact that he left the state shortly after committing the crime, and when improved DNA technology allowed them to develop a sturdy profile of Smith's killer, they zeroed in on him in earnest. In an interview with the suspect in a California prison, Jones confirmed he lived near Renton from 1994-1995 but denied ever meeting or knowing Falcon-Dewey, the document said. A new division at the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, dubbed the Cold Case Homicide Squad, took over the investigation in 2005 -- but it would still be another 16 years until a forensic. Dukat was only 8 years old, grabbed by a stranger and killed with a 20-pound rock in a shallow stream on her short walk home from school, according to the Columbus Dispatch. Elkhart County, Indiana, is where, in May 2002, Robert Reed was found robbed and murdered inside his residence. Missing Melissa Highsmith's mother poses next to a composite sketch of her daughter's suspected kidnapper in a Fort Worth Star Telegram newspaper article. His remains were identified 47 years later. Thanks to DNA and genealogy tracking, authorities announced Thursday, they have solved her case. Discovery Company. Further testing was done in 2001, but the profile was insufficient to place into a federal database of DNA from unsolved crimes or CODIS, police said. In the summer of 1960, the body of a young girl was found near a highway in Yavapai Country, Arizona. Two other possible suspects, who remain unnamed, were not properly ruled out nor disclosed to the defense, Mosby said. The case was revived in 2021 when Sgt. All Rights Reserved. "And after 50 years, they did.". Police say they identified her killer after he licked an. A podcast dedicated to highlighting cold cases that have been solved and closed. ", "This is truly a mothers worst nightmare," she said. Ten days prior to the discovery of her remains, little Sharon was abducted by two people who had allegedly been stalking her. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, He then resurfaced in San Francisco in 1974 when he met his second wife, Sarah Hepting. But, after 52 years, Curran's family finally has closure. The technique is used to create family trees based on genetic similarities to hopefully lead back to the owner of the unknown sample.
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