Prosecutors in Washington state have charged a man already incarcerated for a 1990s cold case homicide with the murder and rape of a woman from Everett, marking the second set of grave charges against the suspect in recent months.
The defendant, described by prosecutors as a sexual sadist, is now facing additional charges in connection with the killing of a woman whose remains were discovered decades after her disappearance.
The suspect was previously convicted and imprisoned for a separate homicide committed in the 1990s. investigators reopened his case after advances in DNA technology allowed them to link him to additional unsolved crimes.
Washington State Attorney General's Office prosecutors filed the new charges in Snohomish County Superior Court, alleging the man sexually assaulted and murdered the Everett woman before concealing her body.
The case marks another breakthrough in Washington's efforts to solve cold cases using forensic genealogy and DNA databases, techniques that have solved dozens of murders nationwide in recent years.
Investigators submitted biological evidence from the original crime scene to the state crime lab, where analysts developed a DNA profile that was later matched to the suspect through a genealogy database search.
The suspect remains incarcerated at the Washington State Penitentiary serving his sentence for the prior conviction, where he will now face additional charges and potential consecutive sentencing.
Authorities have not yet released the name of the victim in this case pending notification of family members.
Background
The suspect first came to law enforcement attention in the 1990s when a young woman's body was found in a remote area of Snohomish County. He was subsequently convicted of her murder and sentenced to decades in prison.
For years, the case remained officially closed until advances in DNA technology prompted investigators to re-examine old evidence using modern forensic techniques.
The recent charges stem from a collaborative effort between the Washington State Attorney General's Office, the Snohomish County Sheriff's Office, and the Washington State Patrol Crime Lab.
The Investigation
Prosecutors allege the suspect committed the Everett murder and rape prior to his initial arrest in the 1990s, though the victim's body was not discovered until years later.
DNA evidence recovered from the crime scene was re-tested using forensic techniques unavailable at the time of the original investigation.
The Washington State Patrol Crime Lab developed a full DNA profile from the decades-old evidence and uploaded it to a national forensic database.
Investigators worked with genetic genealogists to identify potential family members, eventually narrowing the search to the suspect, who was already imprisoned for the prior homicide.
The Attorney General's Office announced the new charges following a review of all evidence and consultation with victim advocates.
Key Takeaways
- Defendant already incarcerated for 1990s cold case homicide
- New charges include murder and rape of Everett woman
- DNA technology breakthrough led to the charges
- Case handled by Washington State Attorney General's Office
- Snohomish County Superior Court will hear the case
What's Next
The suspect will face an arraignment hearing in Snohomish County Superior Court on a date to be determined. prosecutors indicated they will seek consecutive sentencing if convicted.
The case is expected to draw significant attention from the true crime community and victim advocacy groups, many of whom have tracked Washington's use of DNA technology to solve cold cases.
Investigators continue to review additional unsolved cases from the 1990s to determine whether the suspect may be connected to other disappearances in the region.