PENNSYLVANIA — Officers have cracked a 1992 murder case by getting a hold of the suspect's chewing gum and water bottle, reports The Washington Post.
Christy Mirack was a young teacher in Pennsylvania, excited for the Christmas holidays like anyone else.
The next day when she didn't show up at school, the principal called and then drove down to her townhouse.
He goes inside and finds Mirack on the floor, with Christmas presents for her students strewn around on the floor.
The police reportedly investigated the case and determined she was beaten, strangled and sexually assaulted.
Unfortunately, the investigators never could find who murdered the poor woman...until now.
Twenty-five years after the case went cold, investigators turned to genetic genealogy, a new technique where investigators match publicly available genealogical information with DNA found from victims at the crime scene.
The investigators matched the DNA to Raymond Rowe, a popular wedding and event DJ, who was also known as "DJ Freez."
The investigators then went on an undercover investigation at an elementary school party where Rowe was the DJ and collected a piece of Rowe's chewing gum as well as a used water bottle, reports The Star.
The suspect was reportedly taken into custody on Monday, without being officially charged yet.
Genetic genealogy has helped solved a number of other crimes, however it has raised privacy concerns about DNA being publically available for everyone.