Decades-Old Murder May Have Been Solved
Police Arrest Center Line Man
Police believe that they've finally solved a 28-year-old Michigan murder case.
Neighbors Don't Believe It
Police arrested Jerald Leroy Wingeart, 60, of Center Line on Wednesday and formally charged him with the 1973 murder of a Chesaning woman.
The body of Dawn Lee Magyar, 20, was found in a field on March 4, 1973, a little over a month after she disappeared from a shopping trip for her husband and 1-year-old son.
She was reported missing Jan. 27 of that year.
In 1995, state police re-examined the case, which is routine for unsolved crimes.
They detected genetic material on some of the evidence, which had been preserved.
Police began DNA testing on some of the evidence. Such testing was unavailable in the 1970s.
In 1999, they began focusing on a gun. They were able to determine its original owner. From there, they identified the suspect, state police said.
Wingeart's neighbor told Local First News that the suspect lived with his wife and was nice, although he didn't leave the house much.
How does DNA testing work? To find out, click here.Copyright 2007 by ClickOnDetroit.com.
The Associated Press contributed to this
report. All rights reserved. This material
may not be published, broadcast, rewritten
or redistributed.