– murder case involving 14-year-old
– cold case murder of teenager.
Accident – Death – Obituary News :
The Colorado Springs Police Department (CSPD) has announced the closure of a cold case dating back to 1977, bringing an end to a decades-old mystery. The case involves the murder of 14-year-old Maria Loraine Honzell, whose body was found on the night of February 7, 1977, at the Suncrest Apartments located off of North Nevada Avenue.
Honzell was discovered dead from multiple stab wounds in the apartment of a woman who had employed her as a babysitter. The woman returned home after 11:00 pm to find Honzell deceased, while her two children were asleep in their bedrooms. Despite an extensive investigation at the time, CSPD was unable to identify a suspect based on the available evidence.
Years later, advancements in DNA technology prompted CSPD to revisit the case. Evidence that had been preserved for decades was sent to the Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for further analysis. CBI was able to generate a male DNA profile from blood stains found on Honzell’s clothing. However, this DNA did not match any potential suspect profiles in the Combined DNA Index System (CODIS).
In 2019, CSPD enlisted the help of Parabon NanoLabs to utilize DNA and geological databases to search for a match. Through this research, William (Bill) Charles Kernan Jr. emerged as a suspect of interest. Despite the lack of DNA evidence directly linking Kernan to the crime (as his body had been cremated with no living biological relatives), investigations revealed that he was a local college student and a known acquaintance of the mother for whom Honzell had been babysitting.
After a thorough review of all available evidence, the Fourth Judicial District Attorney’s Office has determined that William C Kernan Jr was responsible for the murder of Maria Honzell, leading to the closure of the case. Detective Tracey Thompson of the CSPD Cold Case Department highlighted the significance of genetic genealogy technology in moving the investigation forward.
Thompson emphasised that all cold cases within the Colorado Springs Police Department remain open, urging the public to come forward with any information that could assist in solving these cases.
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CSPD murder case 14-year-old dating back 1977
Close case involving murder 14-year-old dating back 1977.
