Jaded in Emerald City

Adventurous romps in Seattle city experienced by yours truly

Solved Mysteries

July 21, 2010

I’m a sleuth! Okay…not really. But, I did get to interview someone today who solved a 33 year old cold case murder! It was very cool because I actually wrote the all the questions and did the interview independently. Actually, I’m pretty sure that’s not allowed…lol…oh well.

On the way there, the photographer told me to write up some questions based on the press release the PIO (public information officer) had sent out. “You’re not going to ask them?” I asked him. “What do you think you’re here for??” he said. :)

So, very long story short; 33 years ago this guy assaulted his wife and strangled her to death then put her body in her car and dropped it in the woods only 3 miles from their home. He was able to dispose of all the evidence…almost. But, a piece of the rope he used to strangle the woman fell behind her neck and the police have had it all these years. They visited the guy, who had remarried, in 2004 and swabbed his DNA but had to sit on it until they could get around to processing with the proper equipment. The alleged murdered died 6 months later of a brain tumor.

Now, 6 years later, they have run his DNA and it does match the DNA found on the piece of rope. The detective that has been working on the case for the past 6 years called the victim’s mother to let her know. She told him that she thought she was going to go to her grave never knowing for sure who killed her daughter. The scariest part of all is that the victim had a daughter with her husband (the killer) and after her death he isolated her from the maternal relatives. She and the grandmother and aunts and uncles are still estranged.

After returning to the station, I had a chance to sit down with a writer and be there as a fact checker since I did the interview. :) He also gave me some good advice and let me hang out while he wrote the whole thing. Anyway, kudos for justice!

Until tomorrow….(where I will have either lost or won a serious fight with the other interns over who will get to go see the Barefoot Bandit )

Song of the Day- “Madder Red” Yeasayer