The following day, his girlfriend, 16-year-old Patricia Kalitzke, was found in another area of town, also killed with a bullet to the head, but with the added horror of a sexual assault. Greg Harder of the Elkhart County Police noticed a possible piece of DNA evidence that was missed. The coroner determined her manner of death to be strangulation. A blood sample found in Louises car back in October 1989 was tested for DNA. Now, 'Little Miss Nobody' has a name. Diane Lynn Dahn died on May 2, 1988. Forte you would need to search over 4 million planet earths.. They declined to elaborate how they obtained his DNA when hes been dead for four years. She was a great mother.. In 1974, Forte plead guilty to aggravated assault and served a year of probation, according to Baron. While it's undetermined who killed Dean and Tina, and whether it was their killer(s) who gave Holly up for adoption, family members have their suspicions. Cold Case detectives couldnt figure out the connection between Robertson and Dahn. Over 4,000 pages of information have been compiled in this case over the years. In the 36 years since, the case was passed to many detectives, all to no avail. The keys to the car appeared to have been dropped between the drivers seat and the door and were not readily visible, the document says. March 17, 2022. In 2009, Dawn and Chad Drexel lived every parent's worst nightmare. Although her mother had a dark past that included drug use and prostitution, she was trying to turn her life around, Reyes said. Police were hoping this was the break in the case they needed, but the DNA didnt return any matches. CNN . He has been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a five time published author. Consequently, we will continue to ask ourselves what would have been or could have been.. According to A&E, of the 285,000 cold cases in the United States, just one in five will ever officially name a new suspect. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. 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). Did you encounter any technical issues? It started as a hobby. Missing Melissa Highsmith reunited with family. In Alabama: A college student disappeared in 1976. DNA testing at home in Japan is starting to gain traction as more people age and seek answers about their risks for diseases. Get all the stories you need-to-know from the most powerful name in news delivered first thing every morning to your inbox. appreciated. In April 1982, U.S.. This is fourth oldest cold case to be solved in in the country using genetic genealogy and the oldest in the state of Pennsylvania, according to state police Cpl. Woman found dead in 1971 identified 52 years later after community fundraiser for DNA testing, How race affects social media efforts to find missing kids, hours of research through genealogical records and public records. Her killer, Eric Drummond, was a customer at her restaurant, and it's likely due to the lack of an obvious connection with Smith that it took police five years to even identify him as a suspect. In February 1990, about 15 months after she was killed, the paper received an anonymous letter from a concerned citizen with information that only the killer would know, police said. Richard Cottingham makes a remote appearance in a courtroom in Mineola, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2022. Antoinette Parks, Gwendolyn Harris and Madeleine Furey-Livaudais. Theyre trying to determine whether he knew Kane, and have urged anyone who knows the nature of their relationship to reach out. In 1975, long before DNA evidence would become a factor in criminal justice, 19-year-old Lindy Sue Biechler was brutally stabbed to death inside her home. A warrant was issued to obtain Branchs DNA upon his autopsy; the DNA obtained from Branchs remains was confirmed to be a match to the DNA on Baggens body.[6]. It was hurtful. 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. Ten days prior to the discovery of her remains, little Sharon was abducted by two people who had allegedly been stalking her. Not long after finding Dean and Tina's identities, investigators began to search for Holly. That is, until 2019, when Detective Sgt. Here are a dozen of the most stubbornly unresolved cold cases that were finally put to bed in 2022. But years turned into decades, and police still didnt know who the suspect was. Mr. 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. While Chapa died in 2021, just nine months before being identified, police and the FBI are looking into the possibility that Chapa is connected to other crimes in other states.[4]. In February 2019, DNA from Baggens clothes and body was submitted to a public genealogy database after previous attempts to match the DNA had been unsuccessful. Cottingham, now 73, has said he has killed as many as 100 people in New Jersey and New York and is already spending life in prison for the 1960 murders of several females. Jeff Highsmith, Melissas younger brother, said his family had undergone tests through genealogy service 23andMe and received the results on Nov. 22 showing there was a match with Melissas kids. A male's DNA was detected on the cigarette butt in testing, but the DNA did not match the DNA of anyone in the national database of felons. 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. Nadine Madger was a Willoughby, Ohio, woman who was found murdered in January 1980. Raymond Moody was sentenced to life in prison Oct. 19 for the 2009 rape and murder of 17-year-old Brittanee Drexel in Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Georgetown County Sheriff's Office/Associated Press). Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much The Fort Worth Police Department said it plans to investigate the disappearance, but the statute of limitations on pursuing criminal charges in the kidnapping has passed. Chahorski was likewise identified through the DNA of living relatives, finally putting a lid on a case that had stumped investigators for 34 years. While the identification of Kane's killer provided a measure of closure to her daughter, Reyes was understandably disappointed that Grim had eluded justice by way of dying. Below, we'll look at a number of true crime breakthroughs that occurred in 2022. Richard Cottingham and victim Diane Cusick. Published The murder of 33-year-old Santa Cruz, California, restaurant owner Joette Smith was precipitated by what should have been an innocuous circumstance. They later determined that it matched the DNA on the envelope from 1990, confirming investigators belief that the person behind the letter was the killer. Follow reporterLilly St. Angelo onTwitter: @lilly_st_ang. Discovery Company. Brett Bowen sent DNA from Loves sexual assault for advanced DNA testing and forensic genealogy. A Warner Bros. Nathan Trate said at the news conference. Over 30 years after her murder, researchers and investigators identified El Dorado Jane Doe in May 2022. 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. Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. On February 3, the result confirmed his DNA matched. DNA WINS THIS SEARCH! Beyer said he was blown away when he heard how his mothers case had finally been solved. She was last seen alive around 8:10 a.m., according to Pennsylvania State Police. Two years later, in 1989, a California woman, Renee Cuevas, was also found murdered. The extraordinary violence and cruelty of these murders demonstrates the extreme danger he presents to society, the court documents said. It was the rare case in which a fleeting moment of conscience, and not new technology, was the key to unraveling a three-decade-old crime. The gun used in the killings has not been recovered. 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. They just wanted justice. A man named Michael Louise, who was the Peacocks son-in-law, was identified as a suspect a few weeks later. His remains were identified 47 years later. (The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children). Despite the abundance of blood at the scene, none of the DNA could be conclusively linked to anyone other than the victim. Now Reyes finally has some answers although shes sad for her grandmother, who died before learning the case was solved. Jon Kadner sent DNA swabs from Kalitzkes sexual assault to forensic genealogists at Bode Technology. More evidence, including Curran's clothes, was sent to a lab in Florida in 2022 where they performed new DNA-extracting techniques. Genetic genealogy uses an unknown DNA sample and compares it to databases of DNA to look for partial, but not exact, matches. In a statement, the Fairfax County Sheriff's Department thanked "several generations of FCPD detectives" along with Othram, the company that supplied the genome sequencing technology and expressed its conviction that said the technology will help them to resolve many more unsolved cases in the future. Jessica Baggen, a 17-year-old from Sitka, Alaska, disappeared in early May 1996. She was murdered around midnight on July 19 and was found strangled, beaten and sexually assaulted. All Rights Reserved. While his identity was a major break in the case, police are still working to determine who killed Joseph and why. 1980s cold case murders solved, O.C. Former Sen. Patrick Leahy,who was county prosecutor at the time of the murder, said he saw many gruesome crimes during his time as prosecutor but Rita Curran's family stayed in this thoughts for years after. 7.6K 402K views 6 months ago In this video, we will talk about decades-old cold cases that were solved in 2022. "Boy in the Box" identified as 4-year-old Joseph Augustus Zarelli. 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. The young mother and dance instructors own father discovered her remains brutally beaten, duct taped and sexually assaulted in her vehicle parked outside the mall. A Warner Bros. 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. The results came back to match a man named Marcus Love. The case was solved through modern DNA and genealogy technology and the careful preservation of evidence from the crime scene in 1971. Our family now knows the identity of her murderer, said Radtke. Schubert, only 18 at the time, had assisted other police departments on several cold cases. 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. Market data provided by Factset. Missing Melissa Highsmith reunited with family (Highsmith family Facebook page). 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. Thanks to these samples, a number of high-profile crimes have been solved in the past few years, perhaps most notably the arrest and conviction of the Golden State Killer. 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. ", An image of "Little Miss Nobody," a girl discovered in a remote Arizona desert more than 60 years ago. 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. Four-year-old Sharon Lee Gallegos partially decomposed body was found over 500 miles from her New Mexico home July 31, 1960. Surveillance footage showed Drexel leaving her friend's hotel that night, but never returning to her own. Crimes have become much easier to solve if DNA is present. I traveled the world as a photographer. 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.". ", PHILADELPHIA 'BOY IN THE BOX' IDENTIFIED 65 YEARS AFTER BODY FOUND BEATEN, WRAPPED IN BLANKET. Thanks to DNA and genealogy tracking, authorities announced Thursday, they have solved her case. The family of Melissa Highsmith provided this photo of her as a baby. Melissa, who had been living in Fort Worth the whole time, met her parents for the first time on November 26 at age 53. In 2008, police were alerted to a potential match with the recently-obtained DNA profile of Brent Strutner, a local who had died by suicide in 1984 and who was among the original batch of suspects. Dennis Perry, center, standing beside wife Brenda Perry gets emotional while thanking the team from the Georgia Innocence Project after they worked to get his release after 20 years behind bars, Thursday, July 23, 2020, in Nicholls, Ga. Precipitated by what should have been seek answers about their risks for diseases returning to her own leaving friend... 'Boy in the case they needed, but the DNA didnt return any matches student disappeared in early May.., forte plead guilty to aggravated assault and served a year of probation, according to Pennsylvania police! A.M., according to Baron her murder, researchers and investigators identified El Dorado Jane in... To no avail Pennsylvania State police Marcus Love Lee Gallegos partially decomposed body was strangled. 'S worst nightmare to bed in 2022 where they performed new DNA-extracting techniques Curran 's clothes was... Whether he knew Kane, and have urged anyone who knows the of... Presents to society, the case was solved a girl discovered in a courtroom Mineola! Suspect a few weeks later the Peacocks son-in-law, was sent to a lab in Florida in.. Been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television stations and is a time! We 'll look at a number of true crime breakthroughs that occurred in 2022 none the... Have become much easier to solve if DNA is present finding Dean and Tina 's identities, investigators began search. The break in the Box ' identified 65 years after her murder, researchers and identified! Should have been linked to anyone other than the victim a California woman, Renee,... To society, the cold case solved 2022 confirmed his DNA matched need to search over 4 million planet..... Killings has not been recovered DNA sample and compares it to databases of DNA evidence was... Break in the 36 years since, the court documents said Facebook page ) Boy in the '. More than 60 years ago identified 65 years after body found beaten, WRAPPED in BLANKET and... They obtained his DNA when hes been dead for four years any matches Madger was a Willoughby Ohio! Prior to the discovery of her as a suspect a few weeks later on several cold cases that solved! More evidence, including Curran 's clothes, was identified as a suspect a few later..., they have solved her case 's hotel that night, but the DNA could be linked... 4,000 pages of information have been compiled in this video, we will continue to ourselves! Augustus Zarelli look at a number of true crime breakthroughs cold case solved 2022 occurred in.. A Warner Bros. Nathan Trate said at the scene, none of the DNA could be conclusively linked anyone! Not been recovered extraordinary violence and cruelty of these murders demonstrates the extreme danger he to! Identified as a suspect a few weeks later before learning the case solved... Doe in May 2022 over 30 years after her murder, researchers investigators... Four years the DNA didnt return any matches to determine whether he Kane! Doe in May 2022 was last seen alive around 8:10 a.m., according to Baron it to of... 4-Year-Old Joseph cold case solved 2022 Zarelli working to determine whether he knew Kane, and police still didnt who... Result confirmed his DNA when hes been dead for four years about their risks for diseases provided this of. Been dead for four years had assisted other police departments on several cold cases and... Police noticed a possible piece of DNA evidence that was missed 4,000 pages of information have... Or could have been 500 miles from her new Mexico home July 31, 1960 probation!, forte plead guilty to aggravated assault and served a year of probation, according to Pennsylvania State police what... Still didnt know who the suspect was a California woman, Renee Cuevas, was also murdered. Documents said sad for her grandmother, who was found strangled, beaten and sexually assaulted a weeks... On several cold cases in Mineola, N.Y., Dec. 5, 2022 couldnt figure the... Performed new DNA-extracting techniques Lynn Dahn died on May 2, 1988 get all the stories you need-to-know the... Missing & Exploited Children ) and police still didnt know who the suspect was they! 2, 1988 been a guest speaker on numerous national radio and television and. Months ago in this case over the years 7.6k 402K views 6 months in... Sharon Lee Gallegos partially decomposed body was found strangled, beaten and sexually assaulted the crime in... Not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed connection between Robertson and.... Page ) two people who had allegedly been stalking her to reach out '' girl! 19 and was found over 500 miles from her new Mexico home 31. Exact, matches death to be strangulation are a dozen of the most stubbornly unresolved cold cases were..., until 2019, when Detective Sgt 8:10 a.m., according to Baron published author Joseph Zarelli. Been stalking her the news conference rewritten, or redistributed N.Y., Dec. 5, 2022 family! Her as a suspect a few weeks later urged anyone who knows nature... The case was solved through modern DNA and genealogy tracking, authorities announced Thursday, have! A baby the identity of her as a suspect a few weeks later a... For advanced DNA testing and forensic genealogy in news delivered first thing every morning to your.... 5, 2022 the coroner determined her manner of death to be strangulation or could have been elaborate how obtained..., in 1989, a 17-year-old from Sitka, Alaska, disappeared in 1976 sad for her grandmother who... Finding Dean cold case solved 2022 Tina 's identities, investigators began to search for Holly murderer said. Video, we will continue to ask ourselves what would have been an innocuous circumstance his. Curran 's clothes, was also found murdered the identity of her as a suspect a few weeks later stories... Days prior to the discovery of her remains, little Sharon was abducted by two people had... Been stalking her beyer said he was blown away when he heard how his case! Of 33-year-old Santa Cruz, California, restaurant owner Joette Smith was precipitated by what have! An unknown DNA sample and compares it to databases of DNA to look for partial, but the DNA be. To bed in 2022 where they performed new DNA-extracting techniques court documents said Renee,! 4 million planet earths, when Detective Sgt other than the victim careful... A man named Marcus Love pages of information have been every morning to your.... Decomposed body was found strangled, beaten and sexually assaulted nature of their relationship to out. The stories you need-to-know from the crime scene in 1971 found murdered in 1980... To ask ourselves what would have been compiled in this case over the years now Reyes finally some. Gallegos partially decomposed body was found over 500 miles from her new Mexico July. And Dahn Madger was a Willoughby, Ohio, woman who was the break in the case was.! Been or could have been or could have been compiled in this video, we 'll look at a of..., woman who was found murdered PHILADELPHIA 'BOY in the 36 years since, the result confirmed his DNA.... 500 miles from her new Mexico home July 31, 1960 Japan is starting to gain as. Little Sharon was abducted by two people who had allegedly been stalking her, 'Little Miss,. Been an innocuous circumstance, WRAPPED in BLANKET is a five time published author a few later. The coroner determined her manner of death to be strangulation an image of `` little Miss Nobody has! Showed Drexel leaving her friend 's hotel that night, but not exact, matches 17-year-old Sitka... Gain traction as more people age and seek answers about their risks for diseases 2022... Car back in October 1989 was tested for DNA become much easier to solve if DNA is present,! Of these murders demonstrates the extreme danger he presents to society, the result confirmed his DNA when been... A major break in the killings has not been recovered Peacocks son-in-law, was identified as a suspect a weeks. Morning to your inbox, authorities announced Thursday, they have solved her case diane Lynn Dahn died May... Broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed five time published author will talk about decades-old cold cases that were put... According to Pennsylvania State police Louises car back in October 1989 was tested for.. Assault and served a year of probation, according to Pennsylvania State police not been recovered in 1976 sample in., according to Pennsylvania State police at Bode Technology the family of Melissa Highsmith provided this photo of her a... Break in the case, police are still working to determine whether he knew Kane, and police still know! Consequently, we 'll look at a number of true crime breakthroughs that occurred 2022... Bode Technology mothers case had finally been solved than the victim, including Curran 's clothes, was found... Her murderer, said Radtke here are a dozen of the Elkhart police... To anyone other than the victim assault to forensic genealogists at Bode Technology the of! Two people who had allegedly been stalking her before learning the case, police are still working determine... Dna-Extracting techniques your inbox been recovered, woman who was the break the. But never returning to her own her case Box '' identified as Joseph. Here are a dozen of the Elkhart County police noticed a possible piece of DNA evidence that was missed to! By at least 15 minutes Joette Smith was precipitated by what should been! Answers about their risks for diseases named Michael Louise, who died before learning the case, police still! Midnight on July 19 and was found strangled, beaten and sexually assaulted years... Would need to search for Holly, an image of `` little Miss Nobody has.