SOLVED CA - Rashell Ward, 14, Red Bluff, 14 Mar 1983
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SmileyFaceKiller666
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I have to wonder if Rashell’s case is connected to the Franklin child sex ring in Omaha Nebraska during the 1980s...
I don’t know how to link but I watched an episode of Unsolved Mysteries yesterday. The wife of a rapist/torturer/murderer confessed to police about her hisband’s Involvement in the murder of one, possibly two young women. Murdered in Red Bluff in their garage. Sorry I’m a Luddite & can’t link, so please have a look.
Maybe this is the one you saw? Unsolved Mysteries’ Marie Elizabeth Spannhake case: Have there been any updates?
waunakeegan
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It was announced today that Rashell’s case has officially been solved! Johnny Coy was confirmed to be Rashell’s killer using DNA evidence. Rootless hair found on Rashell was able to be sequenced to obtain a dna profile and genetic genealogy was used to assist in identifying the killer.
krcrtv.com
Cold Case Solved: Deputies announce they have solved 1983 murder in Red Bluff
The 1983 murder of a 14-year-old girl in Tehama County has been solved, according to the Tehama County Sheriff's Office.Deputies announed
krcrtv.com
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Cold Case Solved: Deputies announce they have solved 1983 murder in Red Bluff
A photo of Rashell Ward. She was killed in 1983 in Red Bluff. On Tuesday, Oct. 17, the Tehama County Sheriff's Office announced they had solved her murder. (Courtesy: Andrea Gumm, Rashell's Sister)
krcrtv.com
On Oct. 3, the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office received a CODIS confirmation of a match. The conformation revealed that Johnny Coy’s DNA was a match to the DNA evidence located in 1983 on Rashell Ward.
Tehama County Sheriff’s Office solves cold case
The Tehama County Sheriff’s Office now considered this case solved and closed.
This case appears to be one of the many old sexually motivated murder cases solved by DNA but this case appears to be a little different and some questions are raised.
From all that I can tell, there was no semen, blood or other biological material that DNA, for forensic purposes, is usually derived. The only thing that has been reported was one strand of hair without roots attached. It is my understanding that hair without roots have only been able to yield Mitochondrial DNA, not Familial DNA although efforts are being made to obtain it from rootless hair samples. Familial DNA is what is used for CODIS matches and Forensic Genealogy.
Mitochondrial DNA is totally different from Familial DNA. It is passed down through the female line so that a “match” only means that the donor of both samples have common female ancestor. In a small town like Red Bluff, it would not be unusual for two people to have female ancestors in common so such a match wouldn’t be that conclusive. Is is possible that Familial DNA was derived from the rootless hair follicle? If so, it would represent a significant development in forensic science.
This case has been one that has attracted a certain amount of interest over the years. The current reportage suggest that the DNA evidence has been close enough so that Coy was a viable suspect for a long time, although his name has not been released until now that an “official” DNA match has been made. If Familiar DNA has been obtained from a rootless hair, this could open the possible use of this technology for other cases where only a rootless hair is available.
www.redbluffdailynews.com
From all that I can tell, there was no semen, blood or other biological material that DNA, for forensic purposes, is usually derived. The only thing that has been reported was one strand of hair without roots attached. It is my understanding that hair without roots have only been able to yield Mitochondrial DNA, not Familial DNA although efforts are being made to obtain it from rootless hair samples. Familial DNA is what is used for CODIS matches and Forensic Genealogy.
Mitochondrial DNA is totally different from Familial DNA. It is passed down through the female line so that a “match” only means that the donor of both samples have common female ancestor. In a small town like Red Bluff, it would not be unusual for two people to have female ancestors in common so such a match wouldn’t be that conclusive. Is is possible that Familial DNA was derived from the rootless hair follicle? If so, it would represent a significant development in forensic science.
This case has been one that has attracted a certain amount of interest over the years. The current reportage suggest that the DNA evidence has been close enough so that Coy was a viable suspect for a long time, although his name has not been released until now that an “official” DNA match has been made. If Familiar DNA has been obtained from a rootless hair, this could open the possible use of this technology for other cases where only a rootless hair is available.
Rashell Ward murder case solved
The killer in the Rashell Ward case has been named. On Facebook, Jessica Criss announced that the Tehama County Sheriff’s Office had identified Johnny Coy as the killer. Coy had been in prison sin…
www.redbluffdailynews.com
Hair Strand and DNA Sleuths Crack 1983 Murder of Teen Girl
A serial killer confessed. A sheriff was rumored to be the culprit. Now police have determined who killed Rashell Ward.
www.thedailybeast.com
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