Sharon Schollmeyer 1977 murder SOLVED thanks to DNA

http://www.good4utah.com/news/local-news/police-after-40-years-cold-case-murder-solved/665849038


SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC 4 News) - Police think they have solved a cold-case nearly 40 years in the making.

In 1977, a young woman was found raped and murdered.

16-year-old Sharon Schollmeyer was found naked in her apartment -- a gag in her mouth and a blindfold over her eyes.

Thanks to DNA, police say they think they finally have their man.

Patrick McCabe was the building manager at the apartment building back in 1977.

Police think he raped and murdered Schollmeyer.

"You can't put it into words," said Salt Lake County District Attorney Sim Gill.

He says that solving this case happened because of great police work -- and a determination from detectives who would not give up.

According to court papers filed Thursday, Schollmeyer had been working as a waitress.

When she didn't show up for work--her mother was called.

Sharon's mother came to her daughter's apartment, and she was let in by McCabe.

While he waited in the living room, she discovered her daugther in 6 inches of water in the bathtub.

Sharong had "a gag in her mouth and a blindfold over her eyes," according to the court documents.

In 2013, a detective submitted that gag for DNA testing.

In 2016, officials discovered that the DNA matched Patrick McCabe--who, at the time, lived in Florida, convicted there for "a sexual offense against a minor" nearly two decades ago.

Documents show McCabe later admitted to raping and strangling Sharon in 1977, leaving Utah, and never coming back.

Formal charges are expected in coming days.

We keep seeing more and more cases solved by dna. This is good.