RECENTLY SOLVED COLD CASES

1998 sexual assault cold case solved with blood sample from suspect’s autopsy
The suspect died in 2014, but his fingerprint and blood sample matched DNA collected in 1998

West Falls Church VA
Aug. 17, 1998 the suspect appeared as an exterminator and forced entry into a 32-year-old woman's home. The man threatened the victim with a gun and sexually assaulted her before she jumped two stories from a balcony to escape.

DNA and fingerprints were taken as evidence from the scene, but the suspect's identity was not found. In early 2019, detectives resubmitted suspect's DNA and fingerprints and received a fingerprint hit for Juan Johnson of Maryland. Johnson died in 2014 at age 48, but a blood sample from an autopsy allowed the Virginia Department of Forensic Science to match it to the DNA collected at the crime scene.

Detectives also believe that Johnson may be the suspect for an Arlington County case a week before the assault in West Falls Church. DNA from the case matched Johnson's profile.
Police are seeking information about other cases involving Johnson. To report information, contact the Major Crimes Bureau at 703-246-7800,

1998 sexual assault cold case solved with blood sample from suspect’s autopsy

Police say their cold case team has solved a 1998 sexual assault case by matching a blood sample collected from the suspect’s autopsy with DNA from the scene.

www.wwlp.com

1998 West Falls Church Sexual Assault Case Solved: Police

Police say the victim escaped by jumping from a balcony two stories up.

patch.com

 

[Regina]

I find this read very `interesting as it talks of DNA and how if they don't have someone to compare it to, it doesn't do much, etc. AND it talks of genealogical matching.

However, the part I am going to point out is this:

The sheriff says Crum had been arrested in the early 1980s for armed robbery in Hillsborough County. In 1985 he was charged with kidnapping, sexual assault and false imprisonment in Hillsborough County. He was arrested by Tampa police in 1987 for carrying a concealed weapon. In 1988 he was caught again carrying a concealed weapon and was charged with aggravated assault. In 1998 he was arrested for domestic battery in Hernando County three times. In 2001 he was arrested for violation of probation in Hillsborough County. He was arrested a few years later for aggravated assault with a deadly weapon in Hernando County. In 2015, he was arrested in Pasco County for aggravated sexual assault on a child under the age of 12 in Pasco County.


"He’s a bad individual," Sheriff Neihuis stated.

Such a record and yet he was free to walk amongst the public for years on end.

Indeed, and I'd like to know why his DNA wasn't in the system because it's my understanding that the database consists of anyone with a felony conviction. (I'll have to look into when they started collecting DNA from felons.)
Anyway, sounds like his son was in the databank and when they performed a familial search, that led to him. (Btw, unless I'm mistaken, not all states allow familial searches.)

 

[GrandmaBear]

Indeed, and I'd like to know why his DNA wasn't in the system because it's my understanding that the database consists of anyone with a felony conviction. (I'll have to look into when they started collecting DNA from felons.)
Anyway, sounds like his son was in the databank and when they performed a familial search, that led to him. (Btw, unless I'm mistaken, not all states allow familial searches.)

Well a lot of the info there that I cut and pasted is he was "arrested for". Doesn't say convicted for and probably deals made. The earlier stuff certainly could have been years they weren't collecting DNA on arrest yet and certainly not in some states. He77 IN only recently now passed a law for such.

We just recently heard in NY that they can't run a DNA match until conviction generally at least by fed and NY law. As far as CODIS etc. I take it.

 

[Regina]

Well a lot of the info there that I cut and pasted is he was "arrested for". Doesn't say convicted for and probably deals made. The earlier stuff certainly could have been years they weren't collecting DNA on arrest yet and certainly not in some states. He77 IN only recently now passed a law for such.

We just recently heard in NY that they can't run a DNA match until conviction generally at least by fed and NY law. As far as CODIS etc. I take it.

Yeah, that struck me as odd, too, since it's been reported that other states are comparing their evidence with his DNA. You know, it's always interesting how the state laws can be different.
I noticed that too, arrested for this, arrested for that. Well certainly those are all violent crimes and a plea down from a felony (if that's what happened) doesn't take away the fact that the defendant is violent!

Yeah, I'm sure that not all felons in prison have their DNA in the databank and I'm also so disappointed to hear about state labs having backlogs of cases that are yet to be tested, never mind entered into state/national databanks.

 

[GrandmaBear]

Yeah, that struck me as odd, too, since it's been reported that other states are comparing their evidence with his DNA. You know, it's always interesting how the state laws can be different.
I noticed that too, arrested for this, arrested for that. Well certainly those are all violent crimes and a plea down from a felony (if that's what happened) doesn't take away the fact that the defendant is violent!

Yeah, I'm sure that not all felons in prison have their DNA in the databank and I'm also so disappointed to hear about state labs having backlogs of cases that are yet to be tested, never mind entered into state/national databanks.

Yeah there is a lot i am not enamored with to do with our system any longer. Older and wiser? I grew up in an era and I think it continued that we are taught total respect and that we have the best system in the world. And then I got to see it here and there and no, we don't.

Well perps aren't stoned, so I guess it is better than that. But it is very imperfect and run by people many of whom have no experience and are nearly idiots who have grown up never living in the "real world" imo. I'd better stop or I may get on a soap box and totally sidetrack.

Yeah it was arrested for this and that, not convicted for this and that to get back to the subject.

I used to think it was awesome that states have some autonomy to make laws for their own states and that federal doesn't rule all and I still do in theory but in the last many years I am also seeing the negatives of it rather than the positives.

I'm going to be honest and say I didn't know at this point that all felons in prison haven't had to provide their DNA? I guess I'm not surprised.

If you are talking of the back log of rape test kits though, there are differing stories and opinions on that. But that's another story.

I honestly did not know DNA could not go into CODIS in most instances until a conviction. There are ways around it to compare cases and your own things locally apparently but still I did not know that until Gilgo and that remark in the PC.

 

[Summer_Breeze]

Arrest in cold case revives the case of Amanda Campbell, kidnapped in 1991​

Officials there are taking a fresh look at the 1991 disappearance of 4-year-old Amanda Campbell after discovering Zandstra lived within 3 miles of her home at the time she went missing, records show. His church — the Fairfield Christian Reformed Church, where he ended his career in ministry in 2005 — was just over 3 miles away.


Campbell was last seen two days after Christmas while riding her bike to a friend’s house around the corner from where she lived, The Daily Republic newspaper reported. Her bicycle was found a few blocks away, and police K-9s tracked her scent to a nearby McDonald’s restaurant before losing track of it on an interstate ramp.

After retired minister is accused of murder, another cold case gets fresh look

David Zandstra's alleged confession shed some light on nearly 50 years of mystery surrounding the disappearance of 8-year-old Gretchen Harrington. But it has raised hard questions in the other communities where the retired minister served across the northeast, Texas and California, most recently...

www.ajc.com

Arrest in cold case revives the case of Amanda Campbell, kidnapped in 1991

FAIRFIELD — A detective from the Fairfield Police Department’s Special Victims Unit has been assigned to a 1991 case where a young girl went missing from her westside home. The

www.dailyrepublic.com

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/bay-area-pastor-cleared-missing-girl-case-18576766.php

By Katie Dowd
Dec 28, 2023

It’s back to square one for investigators in the mysterious disappearance of a Bay Area girl almost exactly 32 years ago.

<snip>

Recently, though, a spokesperson told SFGATE that Zandstra has been cleared of any involvement in the girl’s disappearance.

“We don’t have any evidence to suggest a link between Amanda’s disappearance and David Zandstra,” the spokesperson said.

The search for Nikki is now back where it started: fruitless, tragic and short on clues.

Zandstra was charged with first-degree murder, criminal homicide and other felonies in Delaware County. His next court date is set for Feb. 15, 2024.