National

These seven cold cases sat unsolved — until now. Take a look the stories

Stories by Real-Time News journalists, with AI summarization

A decomposed body found in California in 1967 was identified after decades using forensic genetic genealogy, and a cigarette butt helped lead to an accused killer’s arrest 35 years later in Florida. A partial fingerprint on a cigarette pack helped close a 1977 California murder case, and officials said DNA testing linked a suspect to the killing of a mother during a bank robbery in 1997.

Read the stories below.

Robert Hecht’s new Lincoln was found in Lenoir, North Carolina, more than a 700-mile drive from the Florida home where he was found dead, authorities said. Photo from the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office

NO. 1: CIGARETTE BUTT IN DEAD MAN’S CAR LEADS TO ACCUSED KILLER 35 YEARS LATER, FLORIDA COPS SAY

The man’s new car was found in Lenoir, North Carolina, more than a 700-mile drive from his Florida home, authorities said. | Published April 23, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

Two women were strangled to death and dumped in the same location a little over a month apart in central Florida, authorities said. One man now faces murder charges. Photo from the Orange County Sheriff's Office

NO. 2: ‘POTENTIAL SERIAL KILLER’ KILLED SEX WORKERS, THEN DUMPED THEIR BODIES, FLORIDA COPS SAY

He “targeted women he thought wouldn’t be missed,” the Orange County Sheriff said. | Published April 29, 2024 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

A woman has been identified 57 years after her body was found down a steep cliff, California deputies say. Photo from Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office

NO. 3: DECOMPOSED BODY DOWN CLIFF POSED MYSTERY SINCE 1967, CA COPS SAY. NOW WOMAN IDENTIFIED

The woman was last known to have lived in San Francisco and was estranged from family, deputies said. | Published May 9, 2024 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura

Using DNA testing the remains were identified as Paul Richard Davis, of Kern County, deputies say. Photo from Plumas County Sheriff’s Office

NO. 4: REMAINS FOUND IN SHALLOW GRAVE BY TREE TRIMMERS IN 1988 IDENTIFIED, CALIFORNIA COPS SAY

The man stopped calling family in the early 1980s, deputies said. | Published March 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura

NO. 5: MAN KILLED IN ORANGE GROVE 39 YEARS AGO IDENTIFIED AS MISSING DAD, FL COPS SAY

He disappeared while driving to Miami for what he said was horse-related business, investigators said. | Published April 29, 2025 | Read Full Story by Olivia Lloyd

Jeanette Ralston was found dead in an apartment carport, prosecutors said. Photo from Santa Clara County District Attorney’s Office

NO. 6: FINGERPRINT ON CIGARETTE PACK HELPS SOLVE COLD CASE FROM 1977, CA OFFICIALS SAY

The 24-year-old woman was found strangled to death in her Volkswagen Beetle, prosecutors said. | Published May 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura

Monica Leech was fatally shot at a Thousands Oaks bank in April 1997, prosecutors said. Photo from Ventura County District Attorney's Office

NO. 7: MOM OF 4 KILLED DURING BANK ROBBERY IN 1997, CA OFFICIALS SAY. MAN PLEADS GUILTY

“Monica was cooperative and not a threat to the bank robbers, so investigators don’t understand why she had to be shot,” a sheriff said. | Published May 19, 2025 | Read Full Story by Daniella Segura

The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.