Jessica Gutierrez.Photo: Lexington County Sheriff’s Office
A North Carolina man was taken into custody Thursday in connection with the kidnapping and murder of a 4-year-old girl who was snatched from her bed in the early morning hours more than 35 years ago.
Thomas McDowell, 61, has been charged with murder in the 1986 disappearance of Jessica Gutierrez, who is still missing and presumed dead.
He is also facing charges of kidnapping and first-degree burglary when he is extradited from his home in North Carolina to South Carolina where the kidnapping occurred.
“I’m glad God brought me to see it,” Jessica’s mother, Debra Gutierrez, told theNews & Observer. “I prayed he would bring me through it, and we’ve waited for this a long time.”
Despite a massive search, Jessica nor her killer were ever found.
Thomas McDowell.Lexington County Sheriff’s Office
Lexington County Sheriff Jay Koon said law enforcement looked at more than 3,500 case file pages and interviewed more than 125 people.
“Because of the work we did, coming together as a team, we were able to sort and connect more pieces of the puzzle about what happened to Jessica all those years ago,” Koon said in a statement.
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“McDowell was later identified through a photo lineup and made statements to other sources that he had kidnapped the victim and killed her,” the arrest warrant states.
McDowell is being held on no bond at the Wake County Detention Center in Raleigh until he is extradited back to South Carolina. It is unclear if he has retained an attorney.
source: people.com
