national
Former Chicago Police Detective Linked via DNA to 1960 Cold-Case Murder of Eight-Year-Old Girl
Just the facts
Investigators linked former Chicago police detective Thomas F. McInerney Jr. to the 1960 cold-case murder of eight-year-old Gloria Kowalewicz through DNA evidence and fingerprint analysis. Authorities stated that advanced forensic testing on preserved evidence from the decades-old crime scene matched McInerney, who served as a police officer years after the incident occurred. The young victim was abducted and killed in Chicago, leaving the case unsolved for over six decades before recent database advancements led to the identification. Police and state prosecutors are reviewing the historical case file to determine appropriate legal next steps given the suspect's background.
Why this is news
Law enforcement officials in Chicago announced a major breakthrough in a decades-old homicide investigation using advanced forensic genealogy and DNA profiling.
Sources
This summary is compiled strictly from the original reporting below.