DNA solves Florida cold case 33 years later
ST. CLOUD, Fla. (WFLA)— An arrest was made in a cold case that had gone unsolved for more than 30 years.
The St. Cloud Police Department arrested Gene Stuller, 72, of Apoka, and charged him with the death of Julia Sue Wilbanks.
Wilbanks was 27 years old when she died.
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On Sept. 23, 1991, Wilbanks' body was found off Neptune Road, and after an exhaustive investigation that included interviews, physical evidence, and DNA analysis, no suspects were identified, police said.
Police submitted the DNA from the crime scene to the national and public database, where Stuller was identified in March as the suspect.
'The St. Cloud Police Department is committed to seeking justice for Ms. Wilbanks and her family, as well as other unsolved cases,' said Chief Douglas Goerke. 'As science becomes more advanced, it gives us an opportunity to solve cases that couldn't be solved in the past.'
According to SCPD, Stuller was arrested on Monday and charged with second-degree murder and disturbing a dead body or clothing article nearby.
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