07-05-2025
Jefferson man arrested in California cold case from the 70s
JEFFERSON — A village man arrested in a 1977 cold case murder in California waived his right to an extradition hearing Tuesday afternoon before Eastern County Court Judge Harold Specht, Ashtabula County Prosecutor April Grabman said.
Willie Eugene Sims, 69, is accused of strangling Jeanette Ralston Feb. 1 1977, in San Jose, according to a press release from the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office and Grabman. He was arrested Tuesday morning.
'His arrest was a result of successful and continuing collaboration between the San Jose Police Department Homicide Unit, the Santa Clara County District Attorney's Cold Case Unit, the Ashtabula County Sheriff's Office, and the Ashtabula County Prosecutor's Office,' the release states.
'We are extremely thankful and proud to be part of the law enforcement partners that worked together across state lines to seek justice for Ms. Ralston and her family,' Grabman and Ashtabula County Sheriff William Niemi said in a joint statement.
The press release states Sims met Ralston in a bar, and alleges he strangled her with a shirt.
Ralston, 24 at the time, was found dead in the back seat of her Volkswagen in a carport of a nearby apartment complex, the release states.
'The medical examiner concluded the cause of death was strangulation from a shirt tied around her neck. The autopsy also showed evidence of sexual assault. The killer tried to light her her car on fire, but was unsuccessful,' the release states.
No suspects were identified at the time, and the case went cold until a fingerprint found on one of Ralston's cigarette packs was found to match Sims in August 2024, according to the release.
Earlier this year, the sheriff's department and prosecutor's office assisted California authorities in getting a DNA sample from Sims, the release states.
'The Santa Clara County District Attorney's Crime Lab found DNA consistent with Sims on Ralston's fingernails and the shirt used to strangle her,' the release states.
If convicted, Sims faces 25-years-to-life in prison, the release states.
