An Idaho man has been arrested in reference to the capturing loss of life of a lady in California greater than 50 years in the past, authorities mentioned.
DNA proof led investigators to establish Michael Eugene Mullen, 75, because the suspect within the 1973 loss of life of Nina “Nadine” Fischer, the Marin County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned. Mullen was arrested close to Salmon, Idaho, on Wednesday and is being held in jail awaiting extradition to California.
Mullen’s protection lawyer, Dan Brown, didn’t instantly reply to voicemails and emails left Saturday.
Fischer was dwelling in San Rafael, California, along with her husband and younger daughter when the 31-year-old lady was killed in November 1973, the Marin County Sheriff’s Workplace mentioned in a information launch. Each Fischer and her husband have been Swedish residents and have been getting ready to return to Sweden on the time.
Fischer’s husband discovered the physique when he returned dwelling from work. The girl had been sexually assaulted and shot thrice, and her two-year-old son was discovered unhurt in one other room.
Regulation enforcement officers questioned some witnesses, together with movers and an appraiser who had been on the dwelling that day, however the investigation turned up no leads and the case stalled, based on newspaper articles revealed after her loss of life.
In 2021, the Marin County Sheriff’s Workplace referred the case to the California Division of Justice’s Familial Search Program. This system compares DNA from crime scenes to a DNA database in an effort to attempt to discover family members of a doable suspect. After a number of months, the DNA resulted in a doable lead, and after three extra years of investigation, Mullen was recognized because the suspect, the sheriff’s workplace mentioned.
The District Lawyer’s Workplace and Marin County Sheriff’s Workplace labored with Idaho State Police and the Lemhi County Sheriff’s Workplace to arrest Mullen on suspicion of homicide. He’s being held within the Lemhi County Jail.
