Rose Ann Hlavka: Detectives solve 40-year murder with help of public genealogy database - and link it to 'animal' serial killer

Discovery marks another victory for officials using DNA databases to solve mysterious crimes

Officials in Portland have solved a decades-old murder mystery with the help of publicly available genealogy databases, thanks in part to a slate of private companies offering DNA kits that seek to reveal insight surrounding a user’s ancestry.

Speaking at a press conference last week, Portland police detective Meredith Hopper told reporters the 1979 slaying of Rose Ann Hlavka had been officially linked to Jerry “Animal” McFadden, an infamous serial rapist from Texas, using the databases.

“Without this technology, we never would have solved this case,” the detective said.

“All of his criminal history and police contacts and even address information is all from about three counties in Texas,” the Portland detective added. “There was never any link to him coming up here. ... He never would have risen to the level of a suspect.”

McFadden had committed his previously reported crimes across the Lone Star state, becoming a notorious criminal after escaping from police custody and causing a statewide panic.

He was discovered to have committed the murder nearly 2,000 miles away from Texas after detectives recently traced his DNA from surprisingly intact samples found underneath Ms Hlavka’s fingernails.

McFadden had previously been convicted on multiple counts of rape in 1972.

The DNA found at the crime scene was sent to a firm called NanoLabs after officials in Portland heard of the success detectives had in identifying the suspected Golden State Killer last year using public genealogy databases.

McFadden was first convicted in 1972 and faced 15 years in prison after being found guilty of two counts of rape in Texas.

He then raped and kidnapped another woman in Texas after being freed on parole just seven years later. The violent incident occurred just a month before Ms Hlavka’s death, the Washington Post reported.

McFadden then kidnapped a female dispatcher while waiting his trial in 1986 and attempted to flee from police while holding her at gunpoint. He was later captured and executed in 1999.

“I’m very, very happy we were able to give some kind of resolution to the [Hlavka] family,” Ms Hopper said. “I don’t think it ever goes away for them. The word ‘closure’ is overused, but having some answers to give them, it’s a good thing.”