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Nearly 50 years after 31-year-old Kathryn Donohue’s body was found in Glenarden, Maryland, Prince George’s County police said Tuesday afternoon that an arrest has been made in the case.
Rodger Brown, 82, was taken into custody at his home in North Carolina and has been charged with first-degree murder and rape in connection with Donohue’s killing.
Investigators said Brown’s DNA was found at the crime scene.
“Thanks to advancements in forensic science and technology, as well as the dedication of our homicide detectives, we were able to uncover new evidence that led to the suspect’s arrest,” Prince George’s County Police Chief Malik Aziz said.
Donohue’s body was discovered in March 1979 in a parking lot along Hamlin Street. The Arlington resident had been beaten and raped.
Investigators said there is no known connection between the victim and the suspect.
“This case serves as a reminder that we will never stop seeking the truth, no matter how much time has passed,” Aziz said. “Every unsolved case remains an open investigation.”
According to Aziz, cold case detectives linked Brown to DNA at the crime scene using publicly available genetic databases. They first identified a relative of Brown, whose DNA matched evidence from the scene, ultimately leading them to their suspect.
Bill DelBagno, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Baltimore field office, said the victim’s life was “unfairly and viciously taken.”
“Investigative genetic genealogy combines unknown crime scene DNA with genealogy research and historical records to generate a lead,” DelBagno said. “Investigators use publicly accessible databases to narrow down potential suspects based on their genetic relationships.”
In a statement, Donohue’s family thanked everyone involved in solving the case decades after the crime.
“The entire Donohue family would like to express our deepest gratitude to everyone involved in this investigation,” the family said. “We will always be grateful for their determination, their compassion and their relentless pursuit of the truth.”