A Minnesota father was charged with murdering a woman after police took a napkin he tossed in the trash at his daughter’s hockey game and linked his DNA with DNA found at the crime scene.
The cold case murder of Jeanne Ann “Jeanie” Childs, 35, was reviewed in 2015. The killing happened in 1993 in Minneapolis.
Detectives ran the DNA found at the crime scene through an online genealogy website, which turned up Jerry Westrom as a possible suspect. Investigators used the Internet to track where Westrom was going to be in public next and secretly followed him to a hockey game in Wisconsin in January, police told the Associated Press. When he tossed a napkin in the trash, they grabbed it.
DNA found on the napkin matched that found at the crime scene and led to the arrest of Westrom, 52. He was charged with second-degree murder and released from jail on Feb. 15 after posting a $500,000 bond after his lawyer told the court that Westrom wasn’t a flight risk. His next court date is scheduled for March 13.
Police in a news release said that FBI experts and a private DNA company helped with the renewed investigation.
“Through additional forensic DNA testing and online genealogy website investigation, the suspect’s DNA was identified as being consistent with DNA left at the crime scene,” the Minneapolis Police Department stated.
Authorities said the case shows advancing DNA technology opens up old cases for closure.
“We all hope Jeanne’s family can finally find peace as a result of this tenacious effort by officers and agents,” Jill Sanborn, special agent in charge of the Minneapolis Division of the FBI, told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press. “This case underscores law enforcement’s ability to use every tool at its disposal to crack a case.”
State criminal records showed that Westrom was convicted of a misdemeanor in 2015 for attempting to hire or engage in prostitution in a public place and that in 2004 he was convicted of a misdemeanor for carrying a pistol without a permit.
On Monday night, police told the family of Jeanne Childs they had finally solved her 1993 murder case.
Police say they arrested a suspect by tracing his DNA through a well-known genealogy website — one you’ll see “advertised on TV,” according to the county attorney @kare11 pic.twitter.com/7kT7mct37d
— Danny Spewak (@DannySpewak) February 15, 2019
The area where Childs lived was known for prostitution, according to court documents. Her naked body was found stabbed multiple times with blood covering the walls of her bedroom, living room, and bathroom.
Responding police officers found the bathroom flooding because the shower had been left turned on and they found a number of fingerprints, palm prints, and footprints at the scene.
Minneapolis Police Public Information Officer John Elder said cold cases are tough because of the lack of suspects but noted updated forensic and DNA technology can help solve them.
“There is no known relationship between the individuals, and that’s what makes these sort of cases so hard to solve,” Elder told WCCO. “And through forensics and through updated technology, we’re able to come back and get people placed under arrest for crimes they committed long ago.”
Amber Childs, step-daughter of Jeanne Childs attended today’s 1st court appearance & shared these family pix. Amber was just 4 when Jeanne was brutally murdered. Amber had to be here today to see this murder suspect for herself as she seeks some form of closure. pic.twitter.com/Tu8K9PSO47
— Paul Blume (@PaulBlume_FOX9) February 15, 2019
Attorney Says Evidence Thin
While authorities believe they found the killer, Westrom’s lawyer said that the evidence isn’t strong.
He said that according to the criminal complaint, Childs worked as a prostitute and that the DNA collected at the scene came from sperm.
“The sperm shows up allegedly matching, but not the blood,” Steven Meshbesher said in court, reported MPR. “What we’ve got is not any record of violence, not connecting it to the blood, not to the weapon—because they didn’t find it.”
He told reporters after the hearing that investigators rushed to charge his client before finishing the investigation.
“They don’t know what the facts are. You don’t charge a case before you know what the facts are. You need to do the investigation first,” Meshbesher said.
According to the criminal complaint, Westrom denied being at Childs’ apartment, at the apartment complex, or knowing her. His lawyer said the account was wrong.
