A US murder case that had been cold for 40 years was finally solved thanks to DNA testing, police have confirmed.
Annette Schnee and Bobbi Jo Oberholtzer were both killed in January 1982 while hitchhiking home in the Colorado town of Breckenridge.
Although the case remained unsolved for all these years, DNA evidence linked Alan Lee Phillips to the crime.
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Last year, the 71-year-old – whose victims had no connection to each other – was arrested and this week a jury ruled him guilty of all eight charges in relation to the killings.
Phillips is facing life in prison for the charges, which include two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of felony robbery and four counts of kidnapping. He will be sentenced on 7 November.
The bodies of Schnee and Oberholtzer, aged 21 and 29 respectively, were uncovered shortly after they were reported missing 40 years ago.
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They had both been shot dead, but technology at the time was not as advanced as it is today and detectives were unable to identify the murderer.
In a report about the trial shared yesterday (16 September), Colorado's judicial branch explained that the case was revisited over the years thanks to the victims' families.
Schnee's relatives hired private investigator Charlie McCormick who worked on the case for decades before eventually finding out about United Data Connect, a forensic science company specialising in DNA testing.
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Working alongside the expert firm, they were able to extract DNA from evidence and link it to two brothers – and they soon discovered Phillips was the only one who had lived in Colorado.
Investigators tested a sample from his rubbish and determined it was a match, allowing police to arrest him and conduct further tests which were also a match.
Linda Stanley, district attorney for the 11th Judicial District said: “Bobbi Jo was a fighter and is a hero. She fought back and because of that we were able to get DNA evidence to convict Annette and Bobbi Jo’s killer after all this time.”
Following the trial, which started in August 2022, the jury took just five hours to reach a guilty verdict.
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Deputy district attorney Mark Hurlbert added: "It is an incredible feeling to have justice after so long and to bring some closure to the families."
Schnee’s mother, brother and two of her sisters and one of Oberholtzer’s daughters were able to witness Phillips being brought to justice.
The same goes for Oberholtzer's husband Jeff, who was previously named a suspect in his wife's killing.
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Co-counsel deputy district attorney Stephanie Miller said: "This is not only closure for Jeff Oberholtzer, Bobbi Jo’s husband, to know what happened to his wife, but also a relief for him to have his name cleared after being named the main suspect for so long."
If you have experienced a bereavement and would like to speak with someone in confidence contact Cruse Bereavement Care via their national helpline on 0808 808 1677
Daisy Phillipson