UT UT - Christine Gallegos, 18, Salt Lake City, May 1985

[morf13]

Christine Gallegos was found stabbed and shot to death in May of 1985 in Salt Lake City, UT.
Her murder was later connected to other murders of young women in the area.

Case Detail: Christine Gallegos - Cold Case Files | Utah Office of the Attorney General

I just featured her case on an episode of my podcast here-

Christine Gallegos | The Murder In My Family

 

[Marilynilpa]

I’m having trouble opening the podcast, but I’ll keep trying.

In the meantime, can you tell me what other cases may be connected to this one?

Thanks.

ETA: Never mind, I have the podcast.

 

[Marilynilpa]

The podcast was very informative.

I’ll come back tomorrow and post an overview of the info in the podcast.

 

[morf13]

Christine Gallegos was found stabbed and shot to death in May of 1985 in Salt Lake City, UT.
Her murder was later connected to other murders of young women in the area.

Case Detail: Christine Gallegos - Cold Case Files | Utah Office of the Attorney General

I just featured her case on an episode of my podcast here-

Christine Gallegos | The Murder In My Family

Sorry the correct link for the podcast is here

 

[morf13]

The podcast was very informative.

I’ll come back tomorrow and post an overview of the info in the podcast.

Sorry try this link

 

[CastlesBurning]

The Justice Files: Male DNA evidence linked to 1985 cold case | ABC4 Utah

 

[DS2021]

The Justice Files: Male DNA evidence linked to 1985 cold case | ABC4 Utah

Back in 1985 and the following year, Gallegos was one of three women who died from a gunshot and with the same pistol

Carla Maxwell was killed at a convenience store in Layton. The following month Lisa Strong was also shot to death in Salt Lake City.

Ballistics from bullets found at the scene proved it was the same gun, a .38 special.

Years later, Forrest Whittle was convicted for murdering Strong. But police had no evidence linking him to the mudrers of Gallegos and Maxwell

 

[Caring1]

May 15, 2025

SALT LAKE CITY — Forty years after the discovery of an 18-year-old girl found murdered in Salt Lake City, police announced Thursday that they have finally closed the decades-long cold case surrounding her death.

Ricky Lee Stallworth, who was an Airman stationed at Hill Air Force Base at the time of Gallegos' murder, died of natural causes in 2023. However, a DNA sample from a relative of Stallworth's confirmed his identification.

Cold case murder of 18-year-old woman solved by Salt Lake City police

The Salt Lake City Police Department announced it would share new information on a cold case homicide during a briefing scheduled for Thursday afternoon.

www.fox13now.com

 

[dotr]

https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/rickie-stallworth-obituary?id=52678377

Rickie Stallworth Obituary (2023) - Ogden, UT​

 

[dotr]

After 40 years, Christine Gallegos' Killer is Identified

Salt Lake City Police Department and Utah Department of Public Safety Identify Suspect in 1985 Assault and Murder of Christine Gallegos

dnasolves.com

 

[DS2021]

Back in 1985 and the following year, Gallegos was one of three women who died from a gunshot and with the same pistol

Carla Maxwell was killed at a convenience store in Layton. The following month Lisa Strong was also shot to death in Salt Lake City.

Ballistics from bullets found at the scene proved it was the same gun, a .38 special.

Years later, Forrest Whittle was convicted for murdering Strong. But police had no evidence linking him to the mudrers of Gallegos and Maxwell

So how did Rickie get a hold of the gun used to kill Lisa and Carla?

 

[dotr]

May 15, 2025
On the 40th anniversary of the night 18-year-old Christine Gallegos disappeared and was later found murdered on a Salt Lake City street, police announced Thursday her cold-case homicide has been solved.

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In 2023, investigative genealogy was recommended by the Utah Cold Case Review Board and the State of Utah Crime Lab. According to Parks, SLCPD contacted a DNA lab in Texas — Othram — and sent them evidence. @othram

Othram developed a profile of the suspect based on DNA and genealogy. Several months after the profile was developed, the lab called and said that they had developed a likely suspect

“Law enforcement officials never stop trying to find answers and it doesn’t matter how old a case is, or whether it was hopeless in the past, there is technology here today that is able to get answers for families,” Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer for Othram, is quoted in a release from the company. “Something like this is heartbreaking for a family to go through, but it’s important for them to know the truth.”

SLCPD solves homicide cold case after 40 years

The Salt Lake City Police Department has announced that Christine Gallegos’ case has been closed, 40 years to the day of her murder.

www.abc27.com

 

[imstilla.grandma]

In 2023, investigative genealogy was recommended by the Utah Cold Case Review Board and the State of Utah Crime Lab. According to Parks, SLCPD contacted a DNA lab in Texas — Othram — and sent them evidence. @othram

Othram developed a profile of the suspect based on DNA and genealogy. Several months after the profile was developed, the lab called and said that they had developed a likely suspect

“Law enforcement officials never stop trying to find answers and it doesn’t matter how old a case is, or whether it was hopeless in the past, there is technology here today that is able to get answers for families,” Kristen Mittelman, Chief Development Officer for Othram, is quoted in a release from the company. “Something like this is heartbreaking for a family to go through, but it’s important for them to know the truth.”

SLCPD solves homicide cold case after 40 years

The Salt Lake City Police Department has announced that Christine Gallegos’ case has been closed, 40 years to the day of her murder.

www.abc27.com

 

[dotr]

 

[imstilla.grandma]

With the help of good old-fashioned detective work and cutting-edge genetic technology, police announced that the likely killer who evaded them for decades is Ricky Lee Stallworth — an Air Force vet who went on to marry five times and have three children before his death in 2023.

During the press conference last week, Parks posthumously dubbed him a “State Street stalker” for his late-night rendezvous.

Stallworth, whose name never came up in the different rounds of investigations into the murder over the years, died of natural causes in July 2023, so investigators were never able to question him – a frustrating prospect for detectives.

“I wish we could have got to him before he died,” Parks said.

“Handcuffs, however, do not equal healing,” said Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Steve O’Camb in a press release. “The resolution of Christine’s case is a prime example. We weren’t able to arrest a suspect, but hopefully we achieved some measure of justice for her and the family and friends that loved her

The DNA preserved from Gallegos’ case was sent to one of the most powerful genetic sequencers in the world, Othram Labs, which found the match. @othram

Police name killer in cold case murder, rape of a Utah teenager that went unsolved for 40 years

Cops said the teen’s suspect killer was an Air Force vet who went on to marry four or five times and have three children before his death in 2023.

nypost.com