Police have arrested a man in connection with a murder that happened nearly 50 years ago, thanks to new forensic technology.
On January 31, 1977, 24-year-old Jeanette Ralston left a bar in San Jose, California. Witnesses said she was with a man they did not recognize. The next day, her body was found in her car nearby. She had been strangled and sexually assaulted.
The case went cold for decades. But last year, police found new evidence on a cigarette pack and DNA on her nails and clothing. This evidence matched 69-year-old Willie Eugene Sims from Ohio.
Sims is accused of killing Jeanette with a long-sleeve shirt on February 1, 1977. At the time, Sims was an army private stationed nearby. He had been convicted of a related crime in 1978 but moved before his DNA was added to state databases.
District Attorney Jeff Rosen said, “Every day, forensic science grows better, and every day criminals are closer to being caught. We don’t forget and we don’t give up.”
Sims is now held without bail. His next court hearing is on August 12. If convicted, he faces 25 years to life in prison.
