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Cold Case Solved: DNA Evidence Leads to Teen's Killer After 44 Years

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After nearly 44 years, the murder of 13-year-old Sarah Geer has been solved thanks to DNA evidence from a cigarette. Sarah was last seen on May 23, 1982, and her body was discovered the following day in Cloverdale, California. James Unick, 64, was found guilty on February 13, coinciding with what would have been Sarah's 57th birthday. The case, which had gone cold for decades, was reopened in 2021, and genetic genealogy techniques ultimately linked Unick to the crime. He is set to be sentenced to life in prison without parole on April 23, 2024, providing a measure of justice for Sarah's family and community.

Key Details: • James Unick, 64, convicted on February 13, 2024. • Sentencing scheduled for April 23, 2024. • Sarah Geer was murdered on May 23, 1982. • Investigators utilized genetic genealogy to solve the case. • Unick's trial lasted a month, with a verdict reached after two hours of deliberation.

justice murder cold-case dna-evidence genetic-genealogy

People & Organizations

FBISarah GeerJames UnickCarla RodriguezChris ParkerCloverdale, CaliforniaSonoma County District Attorney’s OfficeCloverdale Police Department

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