Scott Weinberger

Investigators had preserved the clothes she was wearing, which they believed might contain biological evidence left by the killer. But DNA testing that could possibly identify that person was still decades away.

Investigators had preserved the clothes she was wearing, which they believed might contain biological evidence left by the killer. But DNA testing that could possibly identify that person was still decades away.

John Elliott was just a kid when Vicki was killed, not much older than the son she had left behind. But in 2007, he was a veteran investigator and his and Vicki's paths would soon cross.

John Elliott was just a kid when Vicki was killed, not much older than the son she had left behind. But in 2007, he was a veteran investigator and his and Vicki's paths would soon cross.

John knew that DNA testing had revolutionized cold case investigations, and he hoped that if he could recover DNA from Vicky's dress and create a viable DNA profile, they had a chance of solving the case.

John knew that DNA testing had revolutionized cold case investigations, and he hoped that if he could recover DNA from Vicky's dress and create a viable DNA profile, they had a chance of solving the case.

Along with the massive backup of cold cases, John was also facing the reality that the technology was still not advanced enough to extract and test the DNA left at the crime scene with a high degree of success.

Along with the massive backup of cold cases, John was also facing the reality that the technology was still not advanced enough to extract and test the DNA left at the crime scene with a high degree of success.

So you are, in effect, destroying crucial evidence in hopes that it will yield a viable DNA sample. But if your evidence is limited, which it often is, that's a risky proposition because once it's used up, it's gone for good.

So you are, in effect, destroying crucial evidence in hopes that it will yield a viable DNA sample. But if your evidence is limited, which it often is, that's a risky proposition because once it's used up, it's gone for good.

Trying to match that bullet with other bullets recovered from decades of local crime scenes could potentially help locate the murder weapon and its owner. And years earlier, police thought they had done just that.

Trying to match that bullet with other bullets recovered from decades of local crime scenes could potentially help locate the murder weapon and its owner. And years earlier, police thought they had done just that.

And that patience paid off. In 2022, a new and very effective instrument was developed that aids in the extraction of DNA.

And that patience paid off. In 2022, a new and very effective instrument was developed that aids in the extraction of DNA.

The DNA left at the crime scene was a match to a man named Andre Taylor, who would have just been 18 at the time of Vicky's murder.

The DNA left at the crime scene was a match to a man named Andre Taylor, who would have just been 18 at the time of Vicky's murder.

And while the bullet that was recovered from Vicki's body had been lost over the years, it had been examined after the murder to help identify the kind of gun that was used.

And while the bullet that was recovered from Vicki's body had been lost over the years, it had been examined after the murder to help identify the kind of gun that was used.

So honestly, I think two pretty big pieces of the puzzle are in place that the original investigation didn't have an opportunity to confirm. So you have a DNA match. Getting it hidden in CODIS is only half the journey because it's really finding the individual, getting, as you know, a confirmatory sample, which would be ordered by the courts, and then making that true match there and then.

So honestly, I think two pretty big pieces of the puzzle are in place that the original investigation didn't have an opportunity to confirm. So you have a DNA match. Getting it hidden in CODIS is only half the journey because it's really finding the individual, getting, as you know, a confirmatory sample, which would be ordered by the courts, and then making that true match there and then.