GUILTY PA - Deborah Capiola, 17, raped & murdered, Findlay, 17 March 1977

[mysteriew]

After decades of investigation and years of legal challenges, David Kennedy guilty of first degree murder.

Kennedy, of Cecil Township, was charged in the death of 17-year-old Debbie Capiola.

After decades of investigation and years of legal challenges, the man charged with the murder heard his fate from a jury.

It took 23 years to charge a suspect in the case and five more years to bring it to trial.

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_325224904.html

 

[concernedperson]

Hooray for people that never give up and Hooray for DNA. May all victims ultimately receive the justice that they deserve.

 

[aussiegran]

Great news for the family this must give hope to many others who are waiting for justice.

 

[SewingDeb]

This is great news. I'm sure this guy thought he was out of the woods after so many years.

 

[Richard]

Now is the time to check out any and all similar unsolved rapes and murders in the areas where this guy lived and traveled. How many others were there? With this conviction as precedence, the next one will have him facing the death penalty. With that, perhaps he will be inclined to confess to his other crimes in an attempt to get a "deal".

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In 1977, Debbie Capiola, 17, disappeared on her way to the school bus stop. Her body was found 10 days later. The man police suspected all along (David Kennedy) was convicted five years after his arrest and 28 years after the crime.
... Capiola, of Findlay Township, was on her way to a school bus stop to take her to West Allegheny High School but never made it. She had been raped and strangled.

The jury took only about two hours to reach their verdict, but legal motions delayed the trial for months.

“In the final estimation, I think the DNA is the thing that put it over the top. I mean this is a case that it's been 28-and-a-half years in coming,” said prosecutor Mark Tranquilli. “For many, many years those blue jeans with that semen, they sat in a state police evidence locker and the state police had the bright idea to send it out and send it in to test it. They sure came up with a great profile.”

“It's hard, but I just wanted to make sure the state troopers and the detectives get the thanks they deserve,” said August Capiola. “They worked, they never gave up.”

Judge Lawrence O'Toole did not wait for the formality of sentencing Kennedy at a later date. Immediately after the jury's first degree murder verdict, he sentenced him to life without parole. ...

http://kdka.com/topstories/local_story_325224904.html

 

[OriginalJerseyGirl]

Thanks for this story, mysteriew. Gives me hope for Janet Abaroa's loved ones.

 

[Usher737]

Kennedy's DNA was tested and did not match in the cases of Susan Rush and Mary Gency. Back in 2003 PA State Troopers were investigating if he could be responsibel for any other deaths.

Very interesting though is the fact that Kennedyworked as a civilian mechanic at the 911th Airlift Wing of the Air Force Reserve base in Moon and frequently traveled out of state.


I personally believe he did committ more rapes and maybe murders but in another state.

 

[Richard]

Bumping this thread up. Although this cold case is solved, has anyone attempted to match the killer with other unsolved crimes?