WSFA 12 News Montgomery, AL |Major Break In 12-Year Old Murder Case In Pike County

Major Break In 12-Year Old Murder Case In Pike County

For more than 12 years, Edna Reeves' murder remained a high profile case, a stunned community at the time couldn't believe someone would rape and strangle a genteel, southern grandmother.

"She was all you looked for in a friend. A friend, she was it," said one neighbor back in August 1993.

Today, a big break.

"Considering the DNA match along with all other evidence collected, we now feel certain we can prove the identity of the person responsible for the 1993 rape and brutal murder of Mrs. Edna Youngblood Reeves," said Pike County Sheriff Russell Thomas in a news conference in front of the Pike County Courthouse.

The director of the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences says there is no question they have the crucial DNA evidence, the 'biological' evidence taken from the crime scene back then. Taylor Noggle has heard the talk before that some aspects of DNA might not be reliable but insists that's not the case here.

"Well, in this particular incident, I think you will see the statistical numbers when they're finally published will say it's this particular individual," Noggle said.

But who did it? The answer was one of the unusual twists from the news conference; no name released, not even a motive. Sheriff Thomas said 'no comments' several times when pressed by WSFA 12 News.

Along with those 'no comments,' investigators did say there would be 'new developments' sometime next week. They declined to say whether the man responsible is dead or alive.

We do know the killer had quite a rap sheet. Convicted of burglary, two attempted murders, and an escape, all right here in Alabama.

"The suspect in this case was released from the Department of Corrections on June 15, 1993, some 59 days prior to Mrs. Edna Reeves' rape, strangulation and murder," Sheriff Thomas said. This was not a case where the Department of Corrections mistakenly released the man. Pike County authorities say the suspect served his time when he was released.

Laura Campbell was just 21 when her grandmother was murdered. Now there is closure.

"It's amazing after all these years. They had told us all along that our only hope was DNA evidence and they were right," Campbell said.

Campbell now lives in the home where her grandmother died. Reeves left behind three grown children.

Taylor Noggle says a federal grant helped speed up the process of matching DNA evidence with potential suspects in the department's database.

Reporter: Bryan Henry