LAS VEGAS (KTNV) — More cold cases are being solved thanks to continuing advances in DNA testing technology.
On Tuesday, Las Vegas police identified a suspect in two Las Vegas homicide cold cases dating back to the 90s.
For decades, in our tape library, KTNV has had footage of the crime scene that occurred on January 11, 1994. A body was found in a dumpster behind a grocery store in East Charleston.
It was the body of 35-year-old Pearl Ingram. Until Monday, it was an unsolved murder.
"I just pray nobody else's family has to go through this," said Teresa Board, Ingram's sister. For decades, her family wondered who murdered Pearl.
"It was kind of like a 'happy-sad,'" she said.
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On Monday, police announced advanced DNA testing that led detectives to identify Eddie Snowden Jr. as the suspect in the murder. They also connected him to the murder of 31-year-old Lori Perera who was found dead in a deserted area on Charleston Boulevard in 1992.
Snowden Jr.'s DNA matched both the sexual assault and murder victims. However, Lt. Jason Johansson with LVMPD said no arrests will be made because the suspect died of natural causes in 2017.
Doctor Kristen Mittelman is the chief development officer at Othram. It is a private Laboratory in Texas.
The lab is only about 5 years old. It has a system of advanced DNA technology and genealogy networks to narrow down the identities of victims and suspects.
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"When you upload them to these genealogy databases," Mittelman said. "You get very distant relative matches and when you get those matches you can figure out how far the person is from each one of those and piece them to the right place on a family tree."
DNA testing of a family member of Snowden Jr. in Fresno, California helped in these two cold cases. Mittelman says there are three DNA databases available for law enforcement use.
She continues by saying they can test even the smallest amount of DNA in cases dating back decades.
"If I have touched my hand, I left hundreds of cells," she said. "We took 15 human cells from 32 year old crime and were able to identify that perpetrator and once again link him to another crime."
She said Othram is processing DNA on more cases as well.
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"We just hoped and prayed that somehow the murderer would be brought to justice," Board said.
Ingram's sister says she is grateful, but it's bittersweet as Snowden Jr. will never face charges.
"I can say, for me, that he is not alive and still on the streets and can do this for someone else," she said.
As for other families waiting for answers, she has a message.
"They could possibly get closure like my family has," Board said. "I would like to see everyone have that."
Las Vegas police is continuing to work on identifying the family of Lori Perera.
A philanthropic organization, the Vegas Justice League also helped fund the testing for both cases.
