(ConservativeHub.com) – Unfortunately, law enforcement officials don’t always manage to solve murder cases. Even when they do, it isn’t always quick. Families of two victims have just now learned the identity of the person who allegedly killed their loved ones after 43 years of waiting, but there won’t be a trial.
Detective Dan Towery announced on January 6 he had identified the murderer in a 1978 case. Through DNA evidence, authorities named Ray Whitson Jr the killer of Cynthia Frayer, 17, and Kirk Wiseman, 19.
Authorities Name Long-Dead Suspect in ‘Callous’ Murder of Couple Killed While Backpacking in Oregon in 1978https://t.co/O7QAubOhtM
— Law & Crime (@lawcrimenews) February 27, 2022
A man cutting wood came upon the bodies of Frayer and Wiseman near a lake in Oregon. Investigators discovered someone shot the teens and sexually assaulted Frayer.
The case made its way through various hands before landing with Towery. Technology has advanced enormously since the murders, allowing him to use DNA to identify the criminal. He managed to get a hit from evidence found on Frayer’s clothing. From there, he used genealogy to track down the killer.
The detective can’t pursue Whitson because he died in 1996, so Towery could only close the case. However, he decided there was one last step to take. The detective explained case evidence included an unsent letter to Frayer’s mother, which he plans to give her.
Copyright 2022, ConservativeHub.com
