Thaindian News

SALEM, OREGON (BNO NEWS) – DNA technology helped detectives to identify a suspect and closed the 1971 murder case of a teenager in Klamath Falls, Oregon, the Oregon State Police (OSP) announced on Monday.

Lavon Granville Owens, 64, of Klamath Falls, was identified using DNA analysis and OSP detectives obtained a search warrant. However the investigation took an unexpected turn when the suspect committed suicide before the warrant was executed.

Joyce Cross, 19, was found dead on the south bank of the Lost River Diversion Canal in 1971. The initial investigation revealed that she was killed near a haystack 100 feet away from where her body was found. An autopsy revealed that she died of a massive skull injury. No arrests were made.

In July 2008, Klamath Falls detectives began reviewing the case. They found the clothes of the victim stored and sent them to the OSP Forensic Services for further examination. Through a DNA sample test, semen from two different men was detected on the underwear.

One of the suspects voluntary took a polygraph test and presented more evidence and was excluded from the suspect’s list. On the other hand, Owens, the second suspect, was accused of sexually assaulted another woman, who refused to go forward due to personal reasons.

In spring 2009, An OSP detective saw Owens at a youth baseball game. He called another fellow officer in order to recover a plastic peanut bag, which was just discarded by the suspect. A DNA analysis of the bag matched the DNA found on Joyce’s underwear.

After getting the warrant, officers arrived at Owens’ residence and took saliva from him. Two hours later, he killed himself with a gun. The saliva’s DNA again matched with the one found in the victim’s clothing.