Accident – Death – Obituary News :

Man Arrested for 2014 Murder of Albuquerque Woman

A 59-year-old man has been arrested in connection with the murder of his co-worker in 2014, according to the New Mexico police. The arrest brings a new breakthrough in the cold case that has remained unsolved for several years.

The victim, Danette Webb, was a 53-year-old woman who was found dead in her home in Albuquerque. In 2014, her co-workers grew concerned when she failed to show up for her volunteer job at Noonday ministries. It was then that her lifeless body, duct-taped and tied up, was discovered. The local police released a statement detailing the incident.

Webb’s friend, Audrey Viera, recalled her last encounter with the victim. “I remember the second time I met her, she hugged me like we were old friends. She was a good, good person,” Viera told KOB 4, a local news outlet.

Authorities found Webb’s body in the living room of her home. She was tied up and naked, with a lock box containing $3,000 placed beside her. Surprisingly, there was no sign of struggle or blood at the crime scene, leading to an “undetermined” cause of death, as stated in an autopsy report by the police.

Albuquerque police were reached out to for further information but are yet to respond, as reported by McClatchy News on Dec. 27.

The case remained cold until 2023, when detectives received a potential lead on a suspect. The suspect was later identified as Lance Beaton, a 59-year-old man who had previously worked with Webb at Noonday ministries.

On Dec. 20, Beaton was interviewed by the detectives, following which a search warrant was executed at his residence on Dec. 21 to collect his DNA. The breakthrough came on Dec. 22, when it was confirmed that Beaton’s DNA matched the one found at the crime scene in 2014. Consequently, Beaton was taken into custody and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center, charged with one count of murder.

The virtual court appearance of Beaton on Dec. 26 reported by KOAT revealed that his next hearing date is yet to be scheduled.

This recent arrest highlights the significance of advancements in DNA technology, leading to the resolution of cold cases that have remained unsolved for years. It provides hope for victims’ families and serves as a reminder that justice can be achieved, regardless of the time that has passed.

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