Latest news with #Stallworth
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Yahoo
Utah cold case solved 40 years after 18-year-old woman's murder thanks to DNA sample, police say
A man who murdered an 18-year-old woman in Utah four decades ago has finally been identified, authorities said Thursday. Christine Gallegos was found dead on May 16, 1985, along Jefferson Street in Salt Lake City, the Salt Lake City Police Department said. She had been beaten, stabbed, sexually assaulted and shot to death near an area known then as Dirk's Field. Detectives were unable to find any leads despite years of investigative efforts and multiple rounds of forensic testing. The case went cold and remained so until 2023, when advances in DNA and genealogical testing connected the case to a man named Ricky Lee Stallworth. Stallworth was a 27-year-old airman stationed at Hill Air Force Base at the time of the Gallegos' murder, according to police. He died of natural causes in July 2023. Family Of Mom Murdered In Ritzy Dc Suburb Decades Ago Gets Justice As Perp Nobody Expected Pleads Guilty "We missed being able to talk to him and interview him just by a matter of months," Detective Cordon Parks said at a news conference on Thursday. "I wish we could have got to him before he died." Read On The Fox News App Stallworth was first named a likely suspect after the case was reexamined in 2023, with efforts focusing on identifying an unknown male DNA profile that had been previously entered into the Combined DNA Index System, a database of DNA profiles from convicted offenders, unsolved crime scene evidence and missing persons. Othram Labs in The Woodlands, Texas, came up with the likely match after detectives sent evidence to the lab in late 2023 for advanced DNA analysis. One of Stallworth's family members then provided detectives with a voluntary DNA sample, which police said confirmed Stallworth as a match. Parks said an investigation into Stallworth revealed him to be "sort of a State Street stalker." "Even though he was married, he would tell his spouses that he was going out for the night," Parks said. "He'd leave late in the night, and he wouldn't come back until early, early the next morning." Detectives said a motive remains unclear and any potential relationship between Gallegos and Stallworth remains unanswered. Investigators have said it was "very obvious" that Gallegos struggled with the suspect before she was shot and stabbed. "She left a blood trail up to the gutter of Jefferson Street," Parks said. Detectives' True Crime Podcast Helps Dig Up Breakthrough In Case That Haunted Family: 'Drew Audible Gasp' Gallegos' mother, Leah, thanked investigators for "never giving up" on solving the case. "You never quit thinking about it. You never quit crying about it," Leah Gallegos said when reporters asked about her memories of her daughter. "I wonder about the kids that she would have…" she added. "She was outgoing, she was sweet ... they took so much away when they took her away." Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Steve O'Camb said he hoped that identifying the killer would bring the family closure. "Handcuffs, however, do not equal healing," O'Camb said. "The resolution of Christine's case is a prime example. We weren't able to arrest a suspect, but hopefully we achieved some measure of justice for her and the family and friends that loved her."Original article source: Utah cold case solved 40 years after 18-year-old woman's murder thanks to DNA sample, police say
New York Post
20-05-2025
- New York Post
Police name killer in cold case murder, rape of a Utah teenager that went unsolved for 40 years
A killer has finally been identified in the shocking rape and murder of a Utah teenager that baffled investigators for 40 years, according to police and reports. Christine Gallegos, 18, was last seen alive hitchhiking to downtown Salt Lake City on her way to work on May 15, 1985. Her body was discovered early the next morning by the driver of a passing car, according to reports from the Salt Lake Tribune at the time. 5 The murder of Christine Gallegos, 18, was solved 40 years later with the help of sophisticated DNA technology. Salt Lake City Police Dept Investigators arrived and found a grisly scene in the neighborhood now known as Ballpark. Gallegos had been beaten, raped, stabbed and shot twice in the head. She reportedly put up a fierce struggle against her attacker before she was killed, police said. 'She left a blood trail up to the gutter of Jefferson Street,' Detective Cordon Parks said at a press conference Thursday announcing that the cold case was solved. With the help of good old-fashioned detective work and cutting-edge genetic technology, police announced that the likely killer who evaded them for decades is Ricky Lee Stallworth — an Air Force vet who went on to marry five times and have three children before his death in 2023. 5 Police announced that Ricky Lee Stallworth, now dead, was the suspected killer of Christine Gallegos, whose lifeless body was discovered in a remote area 40 years ago. Aarons Mortuary Stallworth, 27 at the time of Gallegos' murder, was an airman at Hill Air Force Base in May 1985 when the teenage girl was killed. Before his death, Stallworth was reportedly known to police for his alleged interactions with prostitutes along State Street, the commercial strip that runs through downtown Salt Lake City, in the last two years of his life. During the press conference last week, Parks posthumously dubbed him a 'State Street stalker' for his late-night rendezvous. Even though he was married, Stallworth was known to leave his house at the dead of night and come back early in the morning, police said. He'd never tell his wife where he had been or what he had been doing, according to Parks. Stallworth, whose name never came up in the different rounds of investigations into the murder over the years, died of natural causes in July 2023, so investigators were never able to question him – a frustrating prospect for detectives. 'I wish we could have got to him before he died,' Parks said. 5 Christine Gallegos ' murder case remained unsolved for 40 years until DNA identified the killer. Salt Lake City Police Dept Investigators don't believe Stallworth and Gallegos knew each other before the murder. 'Handcuffs, however, do not equal healing,' said Utah State Bureau of Investigation Agent Steve O'Camb in a press release. 'The resolution of Christine's case is a prime example. We weren't able to arrest a suspect, but hopefully we achieved some measure of justice for her and the family and friends that loved her.' One of Stallworth's family members voluntarily provided a DNA sample to investigators that police say confirmed Stallworth was the killer. The DNA preserved from Gallegos' case was sent to one of the most powerful genetic sequencers in the world, Othram Labs, which found the match. 5 Police Chief Brian Redd at a press conference in Salt Lake City where he named Ricky Lee Stallworth as the suspected killer of Christine Gallegos, 18. Salt Lake City Police Dept Gallego's mother Leah said a day hasn't gone by since the teen's brutal killing that she hasn't thought of her daughter. 'I sure miss that girl every day,' she said at the press conference. Leah said that Christine was engaged to a man named Troy and that they had plans to have children together. 'I wonder about the kids she would have,' she said. 'I watch other people with their daughters, with their grandkids.' She said was grateful to the police for finally solving the case, but remained heartbroken about her loss. 'They took so much away when they took her away,' she said. 5 Leah Gallegos, mother of murder victim Christine Gallegos, said at a press conference that she thinks about her daughter every day. Salt Lake City Police Dept An obituary that appears to be for the suspected killer — which spells his first name as Rickie — described him as a loving family man and with an adventurous spirit. 'Rickie traveled the world during his very impressive and accomplished career in the United States Air Force,' it read. 'After retiring from the Air Force, Rickie started a career with HK Systems (now Dematic) and worked tirelessly until he had to retire for health reasons.' It states that he is survived by his wife, three children and a host of grandkids and other relatives. Cops also said Stallworth had four ex-wives during his lifetime. One of Stallworth's ex-wives challenged the police account and said that Gallegos' real killer remains 'out there somewhere.' 'He's dead,' the ex-wife, who wished to remain anonymous, told The Post. 'He never had a chance for a trial. We're going to fight this.' She said Stallworth was a loving, gentle husband and hard-working engineer. The ex-wife said she was married to Stallworth for 19 years and never once did he ever raise his voice or his hand to her. 'Not once. How do you go from that to killing someone?' she asked. 'You'd think there'd be something in 19 years, but no.' 'We just don't believe it,' she added.
15-05-2025
Cold case murder solved 40 years after Utah teenager killed after hitchhiking to work: Police
Police in Salt Lake City announced Thursday they have solved the cold case murder of Christine Gallegos, 40 years after the 18-year-old was found dead after trying to hitchhike to work. Gallegos was found dead on May 16, 1985, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department. She had been severely beaten, stabbed and shot twice in the head. Police believe that the person who picked her up the night before drove her to a remote area and sexually assaulted her, killing her after she tried to fight back. The case remained unsolved for decades. In 2023, the case was re-examined in an attempt to identify an unknown male DNA profile collected in the case. Detectives sent the evidence to Texas-based Othram Labs for advanced DNA analysis using investigative genetic genealogy, police said. That analysis identified a likely suspect, who was confirmed through a voluntary DNA sample from a family member to be Ricky Lee Stallworth, police said. Stallworth was a 27-year-old U.S. Air Force airman stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah, at the time of Gallegos' murder, police said. Police spoke with three of his four ex-wives and a friend before making contact with a child of his who provided a voluntary DNA sample that confirmed the match, according to retired Detective Cordon Parks. There is no indication that he and Gallegos knew each other, and Stallworth's name had never come up during the investigation, Parks said. Detectives were unable to interview Stallworth, who died from natural causes in July 2023, months before he was identified as a possible suspect, police said. "I wish we could have got to him before he died," Parks said during a press briefing on Thursday announcing the closure of the cold case. "Today, we can say with certainty that he was responsible for the death of Christine Gallegos," Parks continued. Stallworth was known to go out overnight and return in the morning "without explanation," Parks said. In the last two years of his life, police reports showed that he had been associated with prostitutes, Parks said. One of his ex-wives was "not surprised that we would be collecting his DNA" in a murder investigation, Parks said. Gallegos' mother, Leah Gallegos, remembered her daughter as "outgoing" and "sweet." "She was in love with her fiancé, Troy," Leah Gallegos said during the press briefing. "They had a family planned." "I just know that I sure miss this girl every day. I wonder about the kids that she would have, and I watch other people with their daughters, their grandkids," she said. "They took so much away when they took her away." Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd credited the "determination of our homicide detectives" and the advances in forensic technology in allowing them to solve the case.
Yahoo
15-05-2025
- Yahoo
Cold case murder solved 40 years after Utah teenager killed after hitchhiking to work: Police
Police in Salt Lake City announced Thursday they have solved the cold case murder of Christine Gallegos, 40 years after the 18-year-old was found dead after trying to hitchhike to work. Gallegos was found dead on May 16, 1985, according to the Salt Lake City Police Department. She had been severely beaten, stabbed and shot twice in the head. Police believe that the person who picked her up the night before drove her to a remote area and sexually assaulted her, killing her after she tried to fight back. The case remained unsolved for decades. In 2023, the case was re-examined in an attempt to identify an unknown male DNA profile collected in the case. Detectives sent the evidence to Texas-based Othram Labs for advanced DNA analysis using investigative genetic genealogy, police said. MORE: Cold case solved over 50 years after a young mom was killed, her 3-year-old daughter left alive That analysis identified a likely suspect, who was confirmed through a voluntary DNA sample from a family member to be Ricky Lee Stallworth, police said. Stallworth was a 27-year-old U.S. Air Force airman stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, Utah, at the time of Gallegos' murder, police said. Police spoke with three of his four ex-wives and a friend before making contact with a child of his who provided a voluntary DNA sample that confirmed the match, according to retired Detective Cordon Parks. There is no indication that he and Gallegos knew each other, and Stallworth's name had never come up during the investigation, Parks said. Detectives were unable to interview Stallworth, who died from natural causes in July 2023, months before he was identified as a possible suspect, police said. "I wish we could have got to him before he died," Parks said during a press briefing on Thursday announcing the closure of the cold case. "Today, we can say with certainty that he was responsible for the death of Christine Gallegos," Parks continued. MORE: Underwater remains could crack 1983 cold case of missing Chicago-area woman: Police Stallworth was known to go out overnight and return in the morning "without explanation," Parks said. In the last two years of his life, police reports showed that he had been associated with prostitutes, Parks said. One of his ex-wives was "not surprised that we would be collecting his DNA" in a murder investigation, Parks said. Gallegos' mother, Leah Gallegos, remembered her daughter as "outgoing" and "sweet." "She was in love with her fiancé, Troy," Leah Gallegos said during the press briefing. "They had a family planned." "I just know that I sure miss this girl every day. I wonder about the kids that she would have, and I watch other people with their daughters, their grandkids," she said. "They took so much away when they took her away." Salt Lake City Police Chief Brian Redd credited the "determination of our homicide detectives" and the advances in forensic technology in allowing them to solve the case. "I just want to reiterate our commitment to solving cold cases," he said during the briefing. Cold case murder solved 40 years after Utah teenager killed after hitchhiking to work: Police originally appeared on
15-05-2025
- Politics
More Republicans push to criminalize bringing immigrants in the US illegally across state lines
MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- Alabama lawmakers have passed legislation that would make it a felony to knowingly bring someone into the state who is in the U.S. illegally, echoing similar bills nationwide that could restrict domestic travel for some immigrants. The legislation given final approval Wednesday protects 'not only the citizens of Alabama but also the people that are immigrating here legally and doing everything the right way,' said the bill's Republican sponsor, Sen. Wes Kitchens. The measure carves out exemptions for medical professionals such as ambulance drivers and employees for law firms, educators, churches or charitable organizations carrying out 'non-commercial' tasks. The bill also outlines a process for law enforcement to determine whether a person who is arrested is in the country legally. It now goes to Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, who has 10 days to sign the legislation or else it fails by a pocket veto. Alabama joins at least nine other states that have considered legislation this year that would create crimes of transporting immigrants who are unlawfully in the U.S., according to an Associated Press analysis using the bill-tracking software Plural. It's one of many recent bills passed by conservative statehouses seeking to aid President Donald Trump's crackdown on immigration. Activists say Alabama could end up ensnaring people who provide transportation across state lines for essential services, such federal immigration court hearings in New Orleans and Atlanta, mandatory trips to out-of-state consulates and visits to family. Jordan Stallworth, 38, works as a civic engagement coordinator for the Alabama Coalition for Immigrant Justice and lives in Wedowee, Alabama, a rural town of about 800 people that is just a 20-minute drive from Georgia. His wife has relatives living without legal status in both states and he often assists family members and other immigrants in the community with transportation. Recently, he drove a family member lacking legal status to the maternity ward in Carrollton, Georgia, 35 miles (56 kilometers) away, since the local hospital doesn't have one. Stallworth worries that similar trips will be criminalized. 'I'm not gonna sit here and somebody's dying in front of me just to have a baby — I'm not gonna sit here and just let her die, family or not,' Stallworth said. Federal law already makes it a crime to knowingly transport someone who is in the U.S. illegally. That law has been used in border areas against drivers picking up people who illegally cross into the U.S. But it has not historically been used for minor things like giving someone a ride to the grocery store, said Kathleen Campbell Walker, a longtime immigration attorney in El Paso, Texas. But immigrant advocates are watching to see whether that changes under Trump. 'The likelihood of that being enforced is higher now because of the focus on removing undocumented people from the United States,' Walker said. Alabama's legislation is similar to a 2023 Florida law, which made it a state crime to knowingly transport someone who entered the U.S. illegally. A federal judge issued a preliminary injunction against the Florida law last year, noting it's preemption by federal law. But in March, the judge narrowed that injunction to block the law's enforcement only against some who sued, including several individuals and members of The Farmworker Association of Florida. Democratic Rep. Phillip Ensler testified against the Alabama bill, saying the crime already exists under federal law. He conceded that exemptions made the bill better but said, 'It just seems very cruel and overly broad that we're going to criminalize people doing innocent things.' Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, a Republican, signed a law last week that criminalizes harboring, transporting or hiding individuals without legal immigration status 'for the purpose of commercial advantage or private financial gain.' Texas also has toughened its immigration laws. Last year, it increased prison sentences under a state anti-smuggling law that prohibits transporting individuals with the intent to conceal them from law enforcement. Some of the similar measures considered by legislatures this year would apply more narrowly than the Florida and Texas laws. An Idaho law signed in March by Republican Gov. Brad Little creates a felony crime of 'trafficking a dangerous illegal alien,' defined as knowingly transporting someone in the country illegally who has been convicted of a felony or certain sex offenses. The new crime is punishable by up to two years in prison and a $10,000 fine.
