The murder of a 19-year-old woman who disappeared from her Illinois village in 1979 has been solved 45 years later.
Authorities were able to identify Kathy Halle’s killer thanks to new DNA evidence, CNN reported.
In March 1979, the young woman went out to meet her sister at a North Aurora shopping center, but never made it to her destination, according to local authorities.
While the case was initially considered a disappearance, her body was ultimately discovered in the Fox River three weeks later, Ryan Peat, a detective with the North Aurora Police Department, confirmed at a news conference. , Wednesday.
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After years of investigation, the case was dismissed due to lack of evidence.
In 2020, authorities linked the DNA of a suspected serial killer, Bruce Lindhal, who committed suicide in 1981, to the murder of another woman, Pamela Maurer.
These findings prompted authorities to re-examine Kathy Halle’s case.
New forensic technology has identified the DNA of suspected serial killer Bruce Lindhal on the 19-year-old woman’s clothing.
“Lindhal has been linked to several other cases in this area around this time,” Ryan Peat said. “With this new evidence, as well as that from similar cases involving Lindhal, we are able to conclude that Lindhal is responsible for the death of Kathy Halle.”
“Although revisiting this case has been incredibly difficult, we are deeply grateful to have finally been able to turn the page after 45 long years,” Kathy Halle’s family commented in a statement.
