Virginia man tied to unsolved killings of 2 women in the 1980s

Nearly 40 years later, authorities in Virginia have linked a man to the separate killings of Jacqueline Lard and Amy Baker in the 1980s.

Nearly 40 years later, authorities in Virginia have linked a man to the separate killings of two women in the 1980s.

A county grand jury Monday indicted Elroy Harrison, 65, on a charge of first-degree murder in the 1986 killing of Jacqueline Lard, 32, the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement. Authorities will also seek to charge him in the 1989 slaying of Amy Baker, 18.

Jacqueline Lard.Stafford County Sheriff’s OfficeInvestigators said they used genetic genealogy to link Harrison to both murders. The technique allows investigators to compare DNA samples against public genealogy databases, narrowing suspect lists to small geographic areas, families or individuals.

Repeated searches of the Virginia and national DNA databases had failed to identify Lard’s killer, the sheriff’s office said. Investigators then turned to genetic genealogy, which in December helped them establish a family name for the suspect in her death.

Detectives then got a search warrant for Harrison’s DNA, which was a match in Lard’s slaying, the sheriff’s office said.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/virginia-man-tied-unsolved-killings-2-women-1980s-rcna142169

---