Closing The Cold Case Of Karen Stitt
Out of the many disturbing images in Karen Stitt’s case file, one photo stands out: 15-year-old Karen is seen sitting on a sunny beach, her smile as warm and bright as her surroundings. On September 2nd, 1982, Karen’s lifeless body was found thrown behind a restaurant wall. She had been raped and stabbed 59 times. For over forty years, investigators were unable to find answers to the mystery of Karen’s murder. However, one officer was determined to bring justice to the happy, sunny teenager pictured in the photograph.
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Detective Matt Hutchison details how he was able to close the decades-old cold case. He explains how through creative thinking and savvy investigative skills, he was able to use genetic genealogy to arrest the suspected murderer.
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