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Police ID Suspect In Cold-Case Homicide

Columbus Division of Police

Columbus police say they've solved a decades-old murder case using geneological DNA analysis.  

Eight-year-old Kelly Prosser was kidnapped while walking home from Indianola Elementary School in 1982. She was sexually assaulted and her body was found two days later in Madison County. Investigators say DNA evidence shows Harold Warren Jarrell killed the girl. Although Jarell died in 1996, detectives say they were able to post DNA evidence taken from a discarded raincoat to a genealogical websites, including Gen Match, and contact people who had a link to the suspects DNA profile.  Police say Jarrell's family members on the website cooperated, confirming the idenity of the killer.