COLD CASE · DNA BREAKTHROUGH
DNA links suspect to Navy veteran's murder nearly 40 years later
Arizona authorities say evidence points to a 68-year-old suspect in the 1987 killing of Korean War veteran Jim Chafin.
Four decades passed. The evidence did not forget.
STL REAL TALK
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LOUSTL REAL TALK
BOSTL REAL TALK
LOU SAYS
STL Real Talk. Here is the straight-talk breakdown: DNA links suspect to Navy veteran's murder nearly 40 years later.
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Here's what we know right now
- Arizona's attorney general announced a major development in the 1987 case.
- Authorities say DNA linked Gary Wayne Billups, 68, to the killing.
- Victim Orison James 'Jim' Chafin was 54 and served in the Navy during the Korean War; the case now proceeds through court.
Lou and Bo's Real Talk take
LOU: “Almost forty years later, DNA knocked on the door.”
BO: “Cold case does not mean forgotten case. Technology keeps changing what investigators can prove.”
LOU: “Now the evidence gets tested in court—and a veteran's family may get answers.”
Sources and further reading
Gray News report via First Alert 4STL Real Talk standard: We separate confirmed facts, allegations and commentary. Send corrections, documents or firsthand information to brandon@stlrealtalk.com.