House invader’s blood on doorknob cracks 1984 chilly case due to new DNA know-how

Minneapolis police say they’ve cracked a 1984 cold-case homicide and assault due to new DNA know-how.

Authorities named Matthew Russell Brown, 66, because the suspect accused of murdering Robert Miller inside his south Minneapolis condominium on July 17, 1984, when Brown would have been 27 years outdated.

Courtroom data filed final month present Brown was charged with second-degree homicide with intent and first-degree housebreaking and assault on an individual for allegedly breaking into the condominium constructing at 3209 Girard Ave. S. and attacking two victims with a knife round 2 a.m.

“When officers arrived, two grownup females rushed out of the condominium constructing. The primary, Sufferer 2 … had a bleeding minimize to the left aspect of her face.

“The opposite lady, Witness 1 … was unhurt however extraordinarily distraught.

“They reported that an unknown male had damaged into their condominium and attacked them with a knife,” an announcement of possible trigger learn.

Officers found a bloody scene inside, the place they discovered Miller deceased from stab wounds. The suspect had already fled the scene.

An post-mortem carried out after the assault revealed that Miller died by murder “from quite a few stab wounds to his face, head, chest, again, and shoulders.”

Investigators observed blood main from contained in the condominium to the again door, which they decided was the suspect’s “seemingly” exit path.

Blood collected from that exit route didn’t belong to Miller, courtroom data state.

For many years, the Minneapolis Police Division’s (MPD) investigation was stalled because of a scarcity of substantiative leads.

Then, in 2018, “the Minnesota Bureau of Prison Apprehension (BCA) developed a DNA profile from blood collected from the kitchen flooring and again exit doorknob,” the possible trigger assertion learn.

“Over the following few years, investigators consulted with a genealogist and decided that, based mostly on the DNA profile, Defendant [Brown] was a suspect. Investigators made a number of makes an attempt to surreptitiously receive a DNA pattern from Defendant and had been unsuccessful. Lastly, in March of 2023, Police collected a disposable plastic cup that Defendant had used” to tie him to the crime, courtroom data state.

MPD mentioned in a press launch that its investigators, together with FBI brokers, interviewed Brown final month. He was dwelling in Illinois on the time.

MPD murder investigators “assigned to the FBI’s Chilly Case Activity Drive have been working diligently with the BCA Forensics Lab” for greater than eight years “to establish DNA discovered on the scene and slender down a potential checklist of suspects,” which led them to Brown, MPD mentioned Friday.

“Although this week marks 39 years because the crime occurred, perseverance and collaboration introduced a decision to this unsolved crime. This permits MPD’s murder investigators to maneuver on to the following one,” the division mentioned.