September 23, 1981, a man walking his dog near a wooded area at Ridgewood Road and Goucher Boulevard in Towson discovered the body of a 13-year-old girl. The girl, Heather Porter, had been missing from her home in the unit block of Hazel Avenue in Woodlawn since the night before.
The condition of Porter's body at the scene led investigators to believe that she had been dragged into the woods. An autopsy later concluded that she had been strangled.
DNA was recovered from Porter's body but a match was never made. Detectives have conducted a thorough investigation into the incident but have not been able to positively identify a suspect in this case.
UPDATED:
Last year, Baltimore County detectives with the BCoPD Homicide Cold Case Squad, reviewed the Porter case and requested the suspect's DNA profile be submitted for forensic genealogy. Bode Technology analyzed the sample and forwarded their results to the FBI for further analysis.
In February of 2021, results identified John Anthony Petrecca, Jr., as a possible suspect in the murder of 13-year-old Heather Porter. A check of Petrecca's criminal history showed prior arrests for rape in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Baltimore County Homicide Cold Case detectives determined, at the time of the killing, Petrecca resided in the 100 block of Ridge Ave., in Halethorpe, Maryland. The location is a short distance from where Heather Porter was last seen.
In an effort to identify Porter's killer, detectives obtained written authorization from the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office to exhume Petrecca's remains.
On the morning of March 11, 2021, police personnel and members from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner gathered at a local cemetery in Baltimore County where Petrecca was buried in 2000.
DNA recovered during the exhumation process was sent to Bode Technology for processing. On November 12, 2021, detectives learned the DNA obtained from Petrecca matched that of the suspect's DNA profile.
As a result of advances in forensic technology, Heather Porter's family members now know the identity of the person who took their loved ones life. The Baltimore County Police Department would like to thank Bode Technology, the Hackerman Foundation and the FBI for their expert analysis, assistance and support in solving this cold case.
2021 a DNA match was made. John Anthony Petrecca Jr. matched the DNA from the crime scene. He died in 2000.
The condition of Porter's body at the scene led investigators to believe that she had been dragged into the woods. An autopsy later concluded that she had been strangled.
DNA was recovered from Porter's body but a match was never made. Detectives have conducted a thorough investigation into the incident but have not been able to positively identify a suspect in this case.
UPDATED:
Last year, Baltimore County detectives with the BCoPD Homicide Cold Case Squad, reviewed the Porter case and requested the suspect's DNA profile be submitted for forensic genealogy. Bode Technology analyzed the sample and forwarded their results to the FBI for further analysis.
In February of 2021, results identified John Anthony Petrecca, Jr., as a possible suspect in the murder of 13-year-old Heather Porter. A check of Petrecca's criminal history showed prior arrests for rape in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Baltimore County Homicide Cold Case detectives determined, at the time of the killing, Petrecca resided in the 100 block of Ridge Ave., in Halethorpe, Maryland. The location is a short distance from where Heather Porter was last seen.
In an effort to identify Porter's killer, detectives obtained written authorization from the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office to exhume Petrecca's remains.
On the morning of March 11, 2021, police personnel and members from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner gathered at a local cemetery in Baltimore County where Petrecca was buried in 2000.
DNA recovered during the exhumation process was sent to Bode Technology for processing. On November 12, 2021, detectives learned the DNA obtained from Petrecca matched that of the suspect's DNA profile.
As a result of advances in forensic technology, Heather Porter's family members now know the identity of the person who took their loved ones life. The Baltimore County Police Department would like to thank Bode Technology, the Hackerman Foundation and the FBI for their expert analysis, assistance and support in solving this cold case.
2021 a DNA match was made. John Anthony Petrecca Jr. matched the DNA from the crime scene. He died in 2000.
September 23, 1981, a man walking his dog near a wooded area at Ridgewood Road and Goucher Boulevard in Towson discovered the body of a 13-year-old girl. The girl, Heather Porter, had been missing from her home in the unit block of Hazel Avenue in Woodlawn since the night before.
The condition of Porter's body at the scene led investigators to believe that she had been dragged into the woods. An autopsy later concluded that she had been strangled.
DNA was recovered from Porter's body but a match was never made. Detectives have conducted a thorough investigation into the incident but have not been able to positively identify a suspect in this case.
UPDATED:
Last year, Baltimore County detectives with the BCoPD Homicide Cold Case Squad, reviewed the Porter case and requested the suspect's DNA profile be submitted for forensic genealogy. Bode Technology analyzed the sample and forwarded their results to the FBI for further analysis.
In February of 2021, results identified John Anthony Petrecca, Jr., as a possible suspect in the murder of 13-year-old Heather Porter. A check of Petrecca's criminal history showed prior arrests for rape in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Baltimore County Homicide Cold Case detectives determined, at the time of the killing, Petrecca resided in the 100 block of Ridge Ave., in Halethorpe, Maryland. The location is a short distance from where Heather Porter was last seen.
In an effort to identify Porter's killer, detectives obtained written authorization from the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office to exhume Petrecca's remains.
On the morning of March 11, 2021, police personnel and members from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner gathered at a local cemetery in Baltimore County where Petrecca was buried in 2000.
DNA recovered during the exhumation process was sent to Bode Technology for processing. On November 12, 2021, detectives learned the DNA obtained from Petrecca matched that of the suspect's DNA profile.
As a result of advances in forensic technology, Heather Porter's family members now know the identity of the person who took their loved ones life. The Baltimore County Police Department would like to thank Bode Technology, the Hackerman Foundation and the FBI for their expert analysis, assistance and support in solving this cold case.
2021 a DNA match was made. John Anthony Petrecca Jr. matched the DNA from the crime scene. He died in 2000.
The condition of Porter's body at the scene led investigators to believe that she had been dragged into the woods. An autopsy later concluded that she had been strangled.
DNA was recovered from Porter's body but a match was never made. Detectives have conducted a thorough investigation into the incident but have not been able to positively identify a suspect in this case.
UPDATED:
Last year, Baltimore County detectives with the BCoPD Homicide Cold Case Squad, reviewed the Porter case and requested the suspect's DNA profile be submitted for forensic genealogy. Bode Technology analyzed the sample and forwarded their results to the FBI for further analysis.
In February of 2021, results identified John Anthony Petrecca, Jr., as a possible suspect in the murder of 13-year-old Heather Porter. A check of Petrecca's criminal history showed prior arrests for rape in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Baltimore County Homicide Cold Case detectives determined, at the time of the killing, Petrecca resided in the 100 block of Ridge Ave., in Halethorpe, Maryland. The location is a short distance from where Heather Porter was last seen.
In an effort to identify Porter's killer, detectives obtained written authorization from the Baltimore County State's Attorney's Office to exhume Petrecca's remains.
On the morning of March 11, 2021, police personnel and members from the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner gathered at a local cemetery in Baltimore County where Petrecca was buried in 2000.
DNA recovered during the exhumation process was sent to Bode Technology for processing. On November 12, 2021, detectives learned the DNA obtained from Petrecca matched that of the suspect's DNA profile.
As a result of advances in forensic technology, Heather Porter's family members now know the identity of the person who took their loved ones life. The Baltimore County Police Department would like to thank Bode Technology, the Hackerman Foundation and the FBI for their expert analysis, assistance and support in solving this cold case.
2021 a DNA match was made. John Anthony Petrecca Jr. matched the DNA from the crime scene. He died in 2000.
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