Indiana - 30-Year-Old Cold Case of Murdered Girl, 8, Solved

An Indiana man accused of killing a little girl in 1988 was arrested this week. The DNA and genetic genealogy proved crucial to the case, helping bring some measure of closure to a mysterious cold case that haunted not just the child’s loved ones but the entire community as well for 30 agonizing years.

Allen County Prosecutor’s Office said John Miller, 59, was arrested Sunday in the murder of 8-year-old April Tinsley, who died in Indiana in April 1988.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">DNA, genetic genealogy lead to arrest of Indiana man accused of killing a little girl in 1988, possibly bringing some closure to a mysterious cold case that &quot;haunted the community for 30 years.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/GHcZwznRrB">https://t.co/GHcZwznRrB</a> <a href="https://t.co/zlrymUy4ah">pic.twitter.com/zlrymUy4ah</a></p>&mdash; ABC News (@ABC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ABC/status/1019283857529561088?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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The case started on April 1, 1988 when April was reported missing. The little girl’s body was found in a ditch three days later. The probable cause affidavit also indicates that April died of asphyxiation with proof of sexual assault. DNA was recovered from the girl’s underwear.

The court document also states that in 1990, officers found writing on a local barn from the suspected killer, stating, “I kill 8 year old April M Tinsley did you find her other shoe haha I will kill agin (sic)."

Years passed without much progress in the case. In 2004 officers found other notes and used condoms at three locations in the Fort Wayne area. The notes claim to be from the person who “left the condoms had raped and killed April.”

A probable cause affidavit asserted that the DNA recovered from the abandoned condoms also proved to be consistent with the DNA recovered from April’s underwear.

Investigators pursued genetic DNA testing this year, and just this month, the DNA was narrowed to two brothers, including Miller, three decades after the horrific crime was committed.

Police went to Miller’s home on Sunday, and when detectives asked whether he knew why the officers are there and what they want to talk about, without batting an eyelash, Miller allegedly replied: “April Tinsley.”

Miller allegedly admitted to the officers to abducting April, raping her and choking her to death. He also shared that it took only 10 minutes for the young girl to die.

The prosecutor’s office said Miller was preliminarily charged with murder, child molesting and confinement. Formal charges will follow and will be filed when he appears in court on July 19.

Social media users reacted to the latest development in the riveting case.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Beautiful baby 🙁</p>&mdash; Juice G (@Itsyoopinion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Itsyoopinion/status/1019286516001005570?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So strange…I just saw a show about this little girl&#39;s case on <a href="https://twitter.com/DiscoveryID?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DiscoveryID</a> Sunday. Glad there appears to be a resolution.</p>&mdash; Dana Skaggs (@DanaSkaggs1) <a href="https://twitter.com/DanaSkaggs1/status/1019293314221162496?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">So sad about the murder of this innocent child but glad the beast has been captured.</p>&mdash; Fran Rubin (@FranRubin13) <a href="https://twitter.com/FranRubin13/status/1019286098101452800?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">May he burn in hell</p>&mdash; Chrissandria Beltran (@Chrissandria1) <a href="https://twitter.com/Chrissandria1/status/1019286337260871680?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Eventually these losers get caught.When he&#39;s locked up,raped repeatedly by other inmates,justice will begin.</p>&mdash; lisa orosco (@txgold1956) <a href="https://twitter.com/txgold1956/status/1019290246519951361?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 17, 2018</a></blockquote>

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Fort Wayne Police Chief Steve Reed, led a news conference with local, state and federal officials and praised all those who have relentlessly worked and pursued the case for three decades.

Indiana State Police Sgt. Ron Galaviz expressed the sentiments of many and said: “From the Indiana State Police to the family of April Tinsley, we hope and we pray that this brings you some measure of closure and some measure of peace that you’ve been seeking for the last three decades.”

He added poignantly: “I know somewhere up there there’s a little girl dancing with angels . She’s celebrating. So when you get on your knees tonight and you talk to her in your dreams and prayers tell her, ‘They did it. They did it and we got him.’”

Source:

https://abcnews.go.com/US/dna-led-arrest-cold-case-killing-indiana-year/story