A 65-year-old man, James Holloman, has been arrested in connection with a 1988 murder case, thanks to DNA evidence from his saliva. Holloman was linked to the murder of Karen Taylor after he spat outside his Boston home last year. Police collected his saliva, and DNA testing revealed it matched samples from under Taylor’s fingernails, as well as from a sweatshirt and cigarette found near her body, according to reports by WCVB.
Though a cheque bearing Holloman’s name was found near Taylor’s body, forensic evidence at the time couldn’t tie him to the crime, CBS reported.
Boston police arrested Holloman on September 19. With no prior criminal record, he is expected to appear in court on October 29. His defence attorney has raised concerns about the reliability of DNA evidence after so many years, questioning the accuracy of the match.
Suffolk County District Attorney Kevin Hayden commended the use of modern forensic techniques, saying, “But most of all, it’s an opportunity for Karen Taylor’s loved ones to see someone answer for her death after so many years of unanswered questions.”
Karen Taylor, 25, was found dead in her Roxbury apartment on May 27, 1988. Her body was discovered after her 3-year-old daughter answered a phone call from Taylor’s mother, telling her that her mom “was sleeping and she could not wake her up.” Taylor’s mother rushed to her daughter’s home, where she entered through a window and found Taylor face-down in a pool of blood. An autopsy revealed that Taylor had been stabbed 15 times, with fatal injuries to her chest, head, and neck.
